Ranking 10 best 49ers wide receivers taken in NFL Draft

No. 1: Jerry Rice

No. 16 Overall, 1985 NFL Draft

OK, there isn’t much to say about Jerry Rice that hasn’t already been said.

There are some records of his which will never be touched. If anything, the new and soon-to-be record holders behind Rice should get awarded merely for being in the same discussion.

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We could go on and on about Rice’s greatness, and that would be fun. But what’s more interesting is the story of how the 49ers came to land the greatest NFL player ever.

To put things into perspective, Rice could have achieved his accolades as a member of the Cowboys.

Yuck!

Dallas owned the No. 17 overall selection in the 1985 NFL Draft and were reportedly interested in the former Mississippi Valley State pass catcher. The 49ers, meanwhile, owned the last pick in Round 1 after winning the Super Bowl the previous year. So, in a deal that has to be viewed as the greatest draft-day steal of all time, the Niners moved up to No. 16 in the draft with the New England Patriots, grabbing Rice and landing the would-be Cowboys selection.

The rest? Well, it’s nothing more than NFL record book history.