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2020 NFL Combine: 5 wide receivers who should impress 49ers

By Peter Panacy

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 27: Wide receiver Chase Claypool of Notre Dame runs a drill during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 27: Wide receiver Chase Claypool of Notre Dame runs a drill during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Antonio Gibson, Memphis Tigers
Antonio Gibson #14 of the Memphis Tigers (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images) /

858. . Wide Receiver/Running Back. Tigers . Antonio Gibson. 5. player

Remember that part about Kyle Shanahan’s offense is predicated largely on speed? There’s also the argument offensive players are essentially “positionless.”

One of the NFL Combine’s more provocative storylines is Memphis running back/wide receiver Antonio Gibson, who fits into that specialist/utility role as both a runner and pass catcher. That alone could make Shanahan a bit more intrigued, as his 2019 collegiate numbers suggest:

Antonio Gibson Receiving & Rushing Table
Receiving Rushing Scrimmage
Year School Conf Class Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Plays Yds Avg TD
*2018 Memphis American JR WR 5 6 99 16.5 2 0 0 0 6 99 16.5 2
*2019 Memphis American SR WR 14 38 735 19.3 8 33 369 11.2 4 71 1104 15.5 12
Career Memphis 44 834 19.0 10 33 369 11.2 4 77 1203 15.6 14

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 2/27/2020.

Gibson was probably pegged as a seventh-round flier or undrafted free agent before his combine workouts Thursday.

Yet his unofficial 40-yard time of 4.39 seconds likely increased his draft stock, perhaps making him a solid day-three pick.

Gibson, 6-foot-2 and 221 pounds, has the tools to be a solid route runner at the NFL level, even if his pure technique is a bit unpolished. And the lack of sheer stats and game tape could prevent teams from doing anything more than taking a late-round flier on him despite his impressive burst at the combine.

The ability for Gibson to double as a running back, however, should be something to pique Shanahan’s interest. And it wouldn’t be shocking if the Memphis product just landed on the 49ers draft board after Thursday.