49ers 2019 NFL Draft: What the Niners are getting with Mitch Wishnowsky

With the San Francisco 49ers surprisingly adding Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky to the roster by way of the 2019 NFL Draft, what are they getting with the draft’s top punter?

While it was known the San Francisco 49ers were going to add a punter at some stage during the offseason, no one expected it to come via the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

With punters usually taken in the later rounds or picked up post-draft as undrafted free agents, taking a punter as high as Round 4 is almost unheard of.

However, with the departure of punter Bradley Pinion at the completion of the 2018 season, it appears head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have had their sights on Utah punter Mitch Wishnowsky for some time.

And they weren’t afraid to use a high-round draft pick in order to get him, something Lynch explained during the 49ers’ day three draft presser:

"We felt like with all due respect to the other punters, [New England Patriots P] Jake Bailey is a kid right up the road who went to New England, who we thought highly of, but we thought Mitch Wishnowsky was a big-time prospect.I think [head coach] Kyle and I studied punters more this year than I think we ever will, and hopefully he’s the long-term answer. We’re talking like a 10-year guy…We had a number of teams that we felt were interested in adding a punter and felt like he had distanced himself, and the fact he kicks off and is a very good holder, as well. So, all those things fit into the puzzle."

With reports the New England Patriots had also taken a liking to Wishnowsky, the 49ers pulled the trigger, effectively securing who they’re hoping to be the team’s long-term punter into the future.

So, with the Niners expending a fourth-round pick on their new punter, what does Wishnowsky have to offer?

First and foremost, he has the kicking ability, power and strength to become a top punter within the NFL. His senior year at Utah saw Wishnowsky complete 59 punts for 2,669 yards, averaging 45.2 yards per punt. Comparatively, Pinion managed 68 punts for 2,973 yards, averaging 43.7 yards per punt. While not a bad punter, Pinion was ranked 19th overall for punters in the NFL during 2018.

Wishnowsky has the capability to not only produce deep punts time and time again down the field, but he also has the power to deliver that much-needed hang time, thereby providing ample opportunity for teammates to manoeuvre the length of the field and limit return yardage.

Add to that his pinpoint accuracy with placement of punts and it’s easy to see why he is such a valuable commodity. Something Wishnowsky demonstrated courtesy of ProKick Australia and was further backed up by his former head coach at Utah, Kyle Whittingham, during an interview with 49ers reporter Joe Fann.

“He’s got the strongest leg that I’ve ever been around or had the opportunity to coach,” Whittingham said. “It’s special. He’s also got great accuracy. He pinned teams inside the 10-yard line better than anybody I’ve been around, too. It’s like a wedge shot in golf. He can put it down near the four- or five-yard line and kill it. He was very valuable for us in the field position game.”

Wishnowsky not only has most of the vital aspects of punting under his belt, but he is also surprisingly fast, clocking a 4.63 second 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. The added benefit of his speed was used more than once during his college career, with Utah utilizing his speed during fake punts.

The further benefit of Wishnowsky being able to perform kick-offs further helps to complement his skill set. With the future of kicker Robbie Gould still uncertain, having a punter who is capable of performing kick-off duties provides a good safety net.

While it may still be somewhat hard for 49ers fans to comprehend the team burning a Round 4 pick on a punter, it’s easy to see what the Niners saw in him. If Wishnowsky can replicate what he did during college, he should have quite the successful career as a punter within the ranks of the NFL.