Ranking 10 best 49ers wide receivers taken in NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
No. 5: John Taylor
No. 76 Overall, 1986 NFL Draft
If it weren’t for the No. 1 wide receiver on this list, John Taylor could easily be viewed as one of the top-two greatest 49ers pass catchers of the 1980s and into the 1990s.
Still, being a second fiddle to the greatest of all time had its merits, even though Taylor remains one of the most underrated San Francisco players ever.
Taylor’s job as a complementary piece for Jerry Rice was plenty good enough, though, as the former managed two 1,000-yard campaigns and earned two Pro Bowl nods, including his early work as a return specialist.
As far as the net value, Taylor still makes it onto the Niners’ all-time list, ranking ninth all time for receptions (347), seventh all time in receiving yards (5,598) and eighth all time in touchdowns (43).
Those are all notable, yes. But perhaps Taylor’s best moment came in the waning seconds of Super Bowl XXIII.
During what became known as “The Drive,” quarterback Joe Montana capped off arguably the best two-minute drive of all time, hitting Taylor on a 10-yard touchdown when the entirety of the Cincinnati Bengals defense was looking at Rice.
Yeah, San Francisco’s third-round investment in Taylor proved to be worthy.