49ers 2019 NFL Draft prospect profile: Wide receiver Hakeem Butler

The San Francisco 49ers are expected to target a wide receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft, and Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler is an enticing target with the Niners’ Round 2 pick.

After a year in which no San Francisco 49ers wide receiver reached 500 receiving yards, one might expect head coach Kyle Shanahan to prioritize landing a go-to target early in the 2019 NFL Draft.

And Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler is certainly worth throwing into the discussion.

The Niners likely won’t use their first-round pick, No. 2 overall, on a wideout. Trading out of that spot and moving down opens up more possibilities, of course. But in all likelihood, San Francisco will start considering receivers in Round 2, where the team is slated to pick at No. 36 overall.

That’s a range where the 6-foot-5, 227-pound Butler could come into play.

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Butler’s production at Iowa State his junior year was commendable. But it’s his big-bodied stature and pure skill set that should draw attention from Shanahan and Co.

So, if the 49ers do have Butler on their radar, what traits and abilities are they looking at?

Let’s take a look.

Hakeem Butler’s Strengths

You can’t ignore the sheer size Butler possesses. He’s one of the biggest wide receivers in this year’s NFL Draft, and the Niners don’t exactly have a ton of tall wideouts on their roster. Fortunately enough, Butler’s size doesn’t cut into his speed, as he ran a 4.48 40-yard time at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.

That’s good speed for a receiver of his body type. And while he didn’t run any of the agility drills at the combine, Butler’s physicality should make up for any lack of twitchiness associated with many a larger receiver.

Butler’s play strength, combined with his good speed, helps set him up to be a yards-after-the-catch (YAC) monster — an integral part of what Shanahan tries to get out of his pass catchers.

You can get the idea by watching the video below:

This combination suggests Butler can be a matchup nightmare at the NFL level, as it will likely take multiple defensive backs to cover him adequately.

Even that might not be enough.

Hakeem Butler’s Weaknesses

There are two primary concerns surrounding Butler’s game: hands and route-running abilities.

Butler wasn’t exactly the most reliable receiver, even during his impressive 2018 campaign, and he’ll often be tagged with focus drops despite his 10 3/4-inch mits. While he can impress with 50-50 ball skills, those drops may easily be a problem at the pro level when he feels a safety bearing down on him.

On top of that, as is the case with many less-agile receivers, Butler’s route tree was pretty limited at Iowa State. And it’s anyone’s guess how we’ll he’ll adjust to some of the more complex routes seen in NFL offenses, particularly complex ones like Shanahan’s.

While less of a concern, Butler doesn’t exactly get off the line quickly and could run into some trouble against press coverage with bigger cornerbacks.

How He Fits with the 49ers

The 49ers brought aboard veteran pass catcher Jordan Matthews on a one-year free-agent deal, primarily to compete for the team’s vacant Z-receiver spot.

That will prompt some competition, but it’s no deterrent to San Francisco going after a possible No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL Draft, where Butler comes into play.

Keep in mind, the Niners offense ranked dead last in red-zone touchdown efficiency a year ago. The lack of a go-to wideout in this area can be tabbed as a primary reason why Shanahan’s play calling had difficulty finding end-zone paydirt in 2018. While Butler’s questionable hands could be a factor here, opponents at least being forced to recognize his threat could do some good.

Even if it just opens up opportunities elsewhere inside the red zone.

Butler is more than just a red-zone threat, however, and his ability to rip off YAC plays of substantial portion will be something the 49ers strongly consider on draft day if he slips into Round 2.

The 2019 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. ET.