Niner Noise
FanSided

49ers’ 7-round dark-horse prospect mock 2019 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: A video board displays an image of Mike McGlinchey of Notre Dame after he was picked #9 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: A video board displays an image of Mike McGlinchey of Notre Dame after he was picked #9 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 30: Wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside #19 of the Stanford Cardinal catches a touchdown pass against defensive back Budda Baker #32 of the Washington Huskies in the third quarter on September 30, 2016 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. The Huskies defeated the Cardinal 44-6. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 30: Wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside #19 of the Stanford Cardinal catches a touchdown pass against defensive back Budda Baker #32 of the Washington Huskies in the third quarter on September 30, 2016 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. The Huskies defeated the Cardinal 44-6. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

The 49ers can’t avoid the wide receiver position entirely in this year’s NFL Draft, especially after no Niners wideout reached 500 receiving yards a year ago and Kyle Shanahan’s offense finished dead last in red-zone touchdown efficiency in 2018.

Yes, the Niners boast a promising up-and-coming pass catcher in second-year pro Dante Pettis. But he’ll earn his mark with elusiveness and route running. What San Francisco needs is someone with a little bit of size and strength to add to the mix.

A “go up and get it” kind of receiver.

That’s where Stanford’s J.J. Arcega-Whiteside comes in. Sure, Arcega-Whiteside isn’t as fast as some of the receivers in this year’s draft class. But his 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame would make for an excellent addition for the team’s X-receiver needs, even after bringing aboard veteran Jordan Matthews in free agency.

Arcega-Whiteside is a beast in the red zone, too, which helps solve that problem.

Plus, it’s impossible to overlook the would-be connection he’d have with another Stanford alumnus, John Lynch.