San Francisco 49ers: 3 underhyped rookies entering 2020 training camp
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers Wide Receiver Chris Finke
San Francisco brought aboard 10 undrafted free agents following the 2020 NFL Draft, and it’s one of the common themes UDFA players typically have the longest and toughest road towards making the 53-man roster right away.
Yet former Notre Dame wide receiver Chris Finke is a player to watch here.
Nicknamed “The Slippery Fox” in college, Finke’s one-cut ability and a notable knack for making the first defender miss are traits that could serve him well at the pro level, particularly if he can excel as a return specialist on kickoffs and punts.
At 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, size and strength aren’t exactly his top attributes. Some would question his straight-line speed. But fellow undersized wide receiver Trent Taylor — 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds — is of the same ilk and managed to make a key impact his rookie season this way back in 2017.
Finke went undrafted, though, so there will arguably be more pressure. However, the 49ers’ top return specialist from the last two years, Richie James, suffered a broken wrist this offseason and could miss two months. This will put Finke into a position where he might be able to showcase those abilities right away in James’ absence, potentially propelling the former into a position where he can be named the primary return man once Week 1 kicks off.