49ers training camp: Power ranking top 5 rookie performances
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers Wide Receiver Jauan Jennings
The 49ers unfortunately lost second-year wide receiver Jalen Hurd to a season-ending ACL tear in camp, which prematurely ends his NFL campaign again after he dealt with a year-long back injury suffered before the 2019 regular season.
Hurd’s injury does open the door for San Francisco’s final pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, former Tennessee wideout Jauan Jennings, to have a better shot at the 53-man roster.
Jennings’ sluggish speed at the NFL Combine diminished his draft stock. But it didn’t erase the fact he broke 30 tackles on 59 receptions last year, and his 6-foot-3 frame is built on strength and physicality.
An aspect the Niners could use.
But according to slot receiver Trent Taylor (h/t The Athletic’s Matt Barrows), Jennings did more than just use physicality on the field during practices:
Trent Taylor said rookie Jauan Jennings ran some “filthy routes” in one-on-one drills today, surprising his fellow wideouts. Taylor, Jennings among the crew that trained in Tenn. this offseason.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) August 16, 2020
Missing out on rookie minicamps and OTAs could have hampered Jennings’ development in Kyle Shanahan’s system, one of the most complex for wide receivers in the entire NFL.
It doesn’t look as if Jennings missed a step, though, and signs are pointing to him being able to use both his strength and route-running capabilities to his advantage.