2020 NFL Draft: 3 late-round wide receivers 49ers should target
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers may have to wait for the later rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft to grab a wide receiver, but there are some likable targets with plenty of upside.
As it stands now, the San Francisco 49ers have more questions than answers at wide receiver heading into 2020.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. For starters, the team can already count on the up-and-coming prowess of second-year pro Deebo Samuel, who emerged as a legitimate starter after an impressive second half to his rookie season. Fellow wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, a restricted free agent in 2020, figures to be back and will likely return as a red-zone weapon.
And the Niners can hope two of their injured wideouts from last year, Jalen Hurd and Trent Taylor, bounce back this upcoming season, too.
That said, potentially losing veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to free agency this offseason creates some doubts. Sanders, Samuel and Bourne were essentially head coach Kyle Shanahan’s lone reliable weapons at the position down the stretch, prompting ideas the 49ers will use one of their few picks in the 2020 NFL Draft to address the likely needs.
Good thing the 2020 wide receiver class is said to be among the deepest in years.
San Francisco is currently slated to pick at No. 31 overall before its two picks in Round 5 of the draft. Barring a trade down from the first round, or the Niners using that pick on a wide receiver, Shanahan and general manager John Lynch will likely have to dig into the deeper part of the receiving pool to land some impact talent.
If that’s the case, these day-three wide receivers should be on the 49ers radar.