49ers: WR Marlon Williams is a perfect late-round NFL Draft target

The 49ers should take advantage of a deep 2021 NFL Draft class of wide receivers, and UCF’s Marlon Williams would be an excellent grab.

It would be silly for San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to completely avoid what’s being viewed as a tremendously deep and talented class of wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Potentially even better than the one last year that netted the Niners wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Aiyuk is expected to pair with third-year wideout Deebo Samuel to headline San Francisco’s wide receiver corps in 2021, yet San Francisco still has some notable depth concerns after losing its No. 3 wide receiver last year, Kendrick Bourne, to the New England Patriots in free agency.

It’s also probably time to give up hope on third-year wideout Jalen Hurd doing much of anything after missing the last two seasons with serious injuries, and 2020 rookie Jauan Jennings remains a total unknown at the pro level.

While the 49ers aren’t likely to use one of their first two picks on a wide receiver, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Shanahan use one of the team’s six picks on day three of the draft on a promising wideout.

And there are plenty to be had between Rounds 4 and 7.

One of the names who should catch Shanahan’s attention is UCF’s Marlon Williams, who’d be an excellent candidate to take over for Bourne and provide newly acquired wideout Trent Sherfield some competition in training camp.

The 6-foot-0, 215-pound Williams has a similar build to Bourne and showcased a highly productive last two years with the Knights.

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 3/19/2021.

Even if Williams fails to beat out a player like Sherfield or even Jennings in training camp, getting some promising depth at a position of need would be smart.

How Marlon Williams would fit with 49ers

While fans were quick to point out the handful of drops Bourne had over his four-year career in San Francisco, Shanahan always highlighted Bourne having some of the best hands on offense.

With Williams, the 49ers would be getting that, too, as the physical receiver has shown a knack for plucking away tough-to-grab passes in contested situations.

A little less like Bourne, Williams has good separation speed and shouldn’t merely be viewed as a possession receiver, as he’s more than capable at getting open in positions where he can create yards after the catch.

True, Williams’ route tree at UCF wasn’t the most complex, and he still has to develop his route-running technique to find success at the NFL level.

Then again, the same could have been said about Aiyuk at ASU, and he is quickly turning into one of the better young receivers in the league right now.

One of the best-fit traits, though, is how a team like the Niners could use Williams as a big-slot option, which The Draft Network’s Dan Marino pointed out here:

"Serving as a big slot in the Knights offense, Williams is a physical receiver that has terrific hands, ball skills, and the ability to produce after the catch. He’s an elite competitor that battles for every inch with the ball in his hands and competes through contact, routinely coming down with catches in traffic."

Big slots aren’t a concept foreign to Shanahan.

Back in 2016 with the Atlanta Falcons, Shanahan utilized veteran wide receiver Mohamed Sanu in this kind of three-wide alignment. And it was something he tried again in 2020, albeit Sanu’s stint with San Francisco didn’t last long.

Bourne, too, acted as a slot-type receiver frequently and served well as a middle-of-the-field threat, something Williams already showcased the ability to handle.

As long as a team like the 49ers can land Williams and subsequently develop his route-running traits, he could be a gem of a find.

Right now, Williams projects as a fourth- or fifth-round pick, although the volatility and unpredictable nature on day three of the draft doesn’t guarantee anything. It wouldn’t be overly shocking to see Williams slip into, perhaps, Rounds 6 or even 7.

Either way, Williams needs to be on the Niners’ radar as a late draft-day target and someone who could potentially shake up the wide receiver depth chart behind Aiyuk and Samuel.