2020 NFL Draft: 3 playmakers 49ers should consider with first-round pick

No. 1: Henry Ruggs III

NFL Comparison: Odell Beckham Jr., CLE Browns

All the pre-draft hype has been about Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and rightfully so. Jeudy is a crisp route runner and is as NFL ready as any receiver who has entered the draft.

While Jeudy will surely be taken before the Niners get to draft at No. 31, his college teammate, Henry Ruggs III, will likely be available. Ruggs was the fastest player every time he stepped on the field, which is saying something considering he played in the SEC.

Ruggs is a different-level athlete when he gets the ball in his hands. He can take a simple slant route to the house leaving defenders grasping for air behind him.

The comparison to Cleveland Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr. starts and stops with Ruggs’ yards-after-the-catch ability. Ruggs gets separation after the catch that I have not seen since Beckham was routinely taking 10-yard Eli Manning slant passes to the house back with the New York Giants.

So how come Ruggs is going to drop to the end of the first round if he has OBJ-level talent?

Well, he is not as precise of a route runner. He is one of those receivers, who when he gets the ball in his hands, is off to the races. The problem is getting the ball in his hands.

Ruggs is such an incredible talent that the Niners need to consider him if he is available with their first-round pick. I am admittedly much higher on him than the consensus NFL Draft analysts, but he makes perfect sense for San Francisco.

Remember, the 49ers had trouble getting the ball into Deebo Samuel’s hands at times last season, but Kyle Shanahan developed creative ways to feed his No. 1 receiver.

With all the sweep and motion plays already implemented into the 49ers offense, Ruggs could step in right away and be the biggest threat the team has to take it to the end zone.