49ers NFL Draft: 3 prospects who can replace Kendrick Bourne

49ers Target No. 3: Marquez Stevenson, Houston

The Niners only have three picks on the first two days of the draft but five on day three, meaning it wouldn’t be shocking at all to see them target some late-round adds to bolster their wide receiver depth.

Houston wide receiver Marquez Stevenson could go anywhere from Round 5 through Round 7, and his placement ultimately depends on how some teams view his skill set.

At 5-foot-10 and 182 pounds, Stevenson is notably smaller than the 6-foot, 200-pound Bourne, but Stevenson has far more upside as a speedy option out of the slot, evidenced by his 4.45 40-yard time at his pro day. For reference, Bourne ran a 4.68 40-yard dash back in 2017.

Stevenson had a 1,000-yard campaign back in 2018 with nine touchdowns, followed up by over 900 yards receiving and another nine scores the following year before playing in five games and boasting 307 yards and four touchdowns in 2020. The production is certainly there, and Kyle Shanahan would appreciate Stevenson’s speed and separation ability. The four-year collegiate receiver is still pretty raw with his route-running skills, though, and that would prompt probably a late-round grade from Shanahan’s perspective.

And unlike Bourne, Stevenson isn’t someone who’d typically fight for receptions, rather he’d have to be catching passes in the open.

Yet Stevenson’s upside could mean an eventual improvement over Bourne, too.