49ers roster: 4 best candidates for No. 3 wide receiver

49ers Option No. 1: Trent Sherfield

There’s a good chance Kyle Shanahan will want a blend of size, speed and experience for whoever occupies the No. 3 wide receiver spot on the depth chart. Travis Benjamin has the size, but he might be little more than a gadget player at this stage of his career. Mohamed Sanu is a savvy veteran, but he won’t offer much by the way of speed nowadays. Richie James, for whatever the reasons, hasn’t endeared himself to Shanahan just yet.

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But one of the Niners’ offseason pickups, former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Trent Sherfield, could be the correct blend of those traits.

True, Sherfield wasn’t much of an offensive factor the last two years with the Cardinals. But in his rookie 2018 campaign, he caught 19 receptions for 210 yards and a touchdown before a new coaching regime and added player personnel pushed him deeper on Arizona’s depth chart.

At 25 years old, Sherfield still has youth on his side. His 6-foot-1, 219-pound frame also is large enough to maintain some physicality, and don’t overlook the 4.45 40-yard time back at his pro day.

San Francisco likely brought in Sherfield to bolster special teams and to round out the depth chart, certainly not guaranteeing he’ll even make the 53-man roster.

But if the 49ers are looking to get younger while not sacrificing a lot of NFL experience, Sherfield could be a top candidate if he winds up showcasing his value during OTAs and training camp.