Niner Noise
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2020 NFL Draft: 5 players 49ers can acquire with No. 13 overall pick

By Josh Altorfer

TUSCALOOSA, AL - SEPTEMBER 21: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide runs for a 45-yard touchdown in the first quarter after catching a pass behind D.Q. Thomas #12 of the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - SEPTEMBER 21: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide runs for a 45-yard touchdown in the first quarter after catching a pass behind D.Q. Thomas #12 of the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

NFL Comparison: Odell Beckham Jr., WR, CLE Browns

Most draft experts have Jerry Jeudy as the best receiver in this year’s class. His Alabama teammate Henry Ruggs III, however, might just be the better fit for San Francisco.

Ruggs instantly becomes the best athlete on the field when he gets the ball in his hands. A quick look at the tape reveals that he is a different level athlete, which is where the comparison to Pro Bowl wideout Odell Beckham Jr. comes into play.

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Beckham burst onto the scene with his amazing one-handed catch on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys back in 2014 when he played for the New York Giants. But the thing that impressed me more than that was OBJ’s consistent ability to take 10-yard Eli Manning slant passes to the house.

Ruggs has that same ability. His breakaway speed is incredible to watch. He ran an outstanding 4.27-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, yet his on-the-field speed seems even faster than that.

Some believe that Ruggs’ lack of production is a cause for concern, but it could just be a result of him being the No. 2 option on a run-heavy offense. Ruggs had 746 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches last season.

If you doubt John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan will pass on a mock-draft favorite for the player who better fits their scheme, think again. In last year’s draft, the Niners passed on guys like D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown to take Deebo Samuel, and that worked out just fine.

Next. 3 out-of-box picks Niners could make in Round 1. dark

The combo of Samuel and Ruggs could be a scary duo Jimmy Garoppolo could count on for the foreseeable future.