49ers 2019 NFL Draft: 5 possible Round 2 targets for San Francisco

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OXFORD, MS – SEPTEMBER 8: A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels points to the sky after scoring a touchdown against the Southern Illinois Salukis during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Only two wide receivers, Oklahoma’s Marquise Brown (Baltimore Ravens) and Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry (New England Patriots), ended up going in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.

That means there’s a great deal of talent potentially available to the 49ers in the second round, which is great news.

Last year, no Niners wideout reached 500 receiving yards, and Kyle Shanahan’s offense also finished dead last in red-zone touchdown efficiency. Sure, the team has second-year pro Dante Pettis on the up and up. But finding another quality pass catcher has to be towards the top of San Francisco’s to-do list for the rest of the draft.

Enter Ole Miss’ A.J. Brown.

At 6-foot-0 and 226 pounds, Brown can win with both strength and footwork — a need for San Francisco’s pass catchers, and arguably Shanahan’s biggest want among his wide receivers. He might not be the fastest wideout in this year’s class, per se. But with a 4.49 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine, he’s not slow, either.

Plus, it helps the 49ers already met with Brown ahead of the draft, so one has to know the interest is there.