2020 NFL Combine: 5 wide receivers who should impress 49ers
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers are likely going to take advantage of a deep wide receiver class in the draft, and some prospects surely impressed on Thursday at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.
If there’s one position San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan pays a little more close attention to than the rest, it’s wide receiver.
After all, Shanahan was a collegiate wide receiver back during his playing days. And his dynamic offense is predicated on crisp route-running skills, speed and generating yards after the catch.
The Niners need a wide receiver in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft, too, especially with veteran wideout Emmanuel Sanders poised to hit the free-agent market. Behind him, San Francisco essentially has second-year pro Deebo Samuel and restricted free agent Kendrick Bourne as reliable options.
Thankfully, the 2020 class is awfully deep at the position. And while the 49ers currently have just one pick between Rounds 1 through 4, No. 31 overall, it would be foolish to think Shanahan won’t want to dip into the deep cast of receiving prospects when the Niners’ numbers are called during the draft in April.
San Francisco boasts five picks split between the fifth and seventh rounds. Trading out of the No. 31 overall pick is also a possibility, lending to the idea the 49ers grab a receiver on day two of the draft, just like they did with Samuel last year and Dante Pettis in 2018.
Determining whether or not they will, however, will be heavily influenced by the NFL Scouting Combine, which kicked off from Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday, featuring wide receivers in their pre-draft workouts, along with tight ends and quarterbacks.
Needless to say, there were some impressive performances. And these five prospects surely caught Shanahan’s eyes early on.