San Francisco 49ers: 5 sleeper wide receivers to target in NFL Draft

49ers Draft Target No. 2: Dazz Newsome, UNC

Size hasn’t always been a top priority for Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and the 49ers have gotten by with short-statured wide receivers on the outside anyway. Yet there is a need for a prolific slot receiver, namely with Trent Taylor not having panned out and Richie James used only inconsistently.

Enter wide receiver Dazz Newsome of the University of North Carolina.

The 5-foot-11 Newsome managed a 1,000-yard campaign with 10 touchdowns in 2019. And while his numbers dropped a bit last year, thanks largely to some lackluster quarterback play, there’s little doubting he could be one of the many day-three sleepers for a team like the 49ers in this year’s draft.

Newsome plays with a relentless motor, and one shouldn’t let his smallish stature be his definitive mark. He plays physical and fights for extra yards after contact, and his hands are among the best within the latter rounds of pass-catching targets.

While he’ll need some polish to his game, the added bonus of Newsome being a reliable punt-return specialist also adds to his attraction level for San Francisco.

With a ceiling of being a starting slot receiver, the Niners could do much worse than go after a player like Newsome in Round 5.