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San Francisco 49ers: 10 players who have a lot to prove in 2019

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 18: Punter Mitch Wishnowsky #33 of the Utah Utes rushes for a first down on a fake punt play against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 18: Punter Mitch Wishnowsky #33 of the Utah Utes rushes for a first down on a fake punt play against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

No. 5: Punter Mitch Wishnowsky

Punter Mitch Wishnowsky finds himself on this list, not to any fault of his own, but rather because he was the first specialist taken off the boards in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Selected by the 49ers in Round 4, Wishnowsky is intended to replace Bradley Pinion, who departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason via free agency. The Niners insisted Wishnowsky wouldn’t have been available in Round 5, therefore mandating a fourth-round selection.

With that, though, Wishnowsky will be operating under an increased amount of pressure than he otherwise would have received if he was selected a round, or two, later.

Wishnowsky might easily be the best punter from this year’s draft class, and that’s fine. But if he winds up getting off to a rough start during his rookie campaign, it won’t take long at all for 49ers fans to start grumbling about the reach that was this fourth-round draftee.