SF 49ers: 10 wide receivers to target in 2021 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
405. . Wide Receiver. Broncos . D'Wayne Eskridge. 4. player
SF 49ers Target No. 4: D’Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan
San Francisco doesn’t have to stick with the idea of a big slot to round out its wide receiver depth chart, and the modest use of Richie James last year showed this.
At 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, Western Michigan wide receiver D’Wayne Eskridge looks the part of that small-bodied wideout who uses elusiveness and shiftiness to get open and create yards after the catch.
And aside from his limited 2019 campaign, Eskridge has been consistently productive over his collegiate career:
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2016 | Western Michigan | MAC | FR | WR | 10 | 17 | 121 | 7.1 | 1 | 6 | 60 | 10.0 | 0 | 23 | 181 | 7.9 | 1 |
| 2017 | Western Michigan | MAC | SO | WR | 12 | 30 | 506 | 16.9 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 3.3 | 0 | 34 | 519 | 15.3 | 3 |
| *2018 | Western Michigan | MAC | JR | WR | 11 | 38 | 776 | 20.4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 776 | 20.4 | 3 | |
| *2019 | Western Michigan | MAC | SR | WR | 4 | 3 | 73 | 24.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 73 | 24.3 | 0 | |
| 2020 | Western Michigan | MAC | SR | WR | 6 | 33 | 768 | 23.3 | 8 | 2 | 43 | 21.5 | 0 | 35 | 811 | 23.2 | 8 |
| Career | Western Michigan | 121 | 2244 | 18.5 | 15 | 12 | 116 | 9.7 | 0 | 133 | 2360 | 17.7 | 15 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 4/2/2021.
While Eskridge projects as a pro-level slot receiver, the Broncos typically lined him up all over their offensive formation, which isn’t unlike what the SF 49ers have done with players like Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. If anything, Kyle Shanahan would have yet another versatile weapon and likely an early day-three target.
There’s also an added bonus, as Eskridge also served as a solid special teams contributor, even acting as a kick returner in 2020.
James seems to be penciled in for that role, but a player like Eskridge could easily add to the competition there as he develops into a potential No. 3 wide receiving candidate.