49ers roster predictions: Who’s in, out at wide receiver in 2021?

Out: 49ers WRs Jalen Hurd, Kevin White and Travis Benjamin

Yes, it would be great if third-year pro wideout Jalen Hurd finally bucks the injury-bug trend and is actually able to take the field after missing 2019 and 2020 with serious injuries.

But therein is the problem: Hurd has yet to see a regular-season snap after being drafted by San Francisco in Round 3.

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It would be one thing if Hurd was a prolific wide receiver at the collegiate level. But he played the position for only a single year at Baylor after transferring from Tennessee where he was a running back. True, Hurd’s massive 6-foot-4 and 230-pound frame makes for a mismatch nightmare, and there’s little doubting he could be a force if he was able to stay healthy.

The problem, though, is Hurd hasn’t stayed healthy and is far behind the proverbial 8-ball in terms of his development.

Veteran wide receiver Kevin White, meanwhile, is another one of those high-profile NFL Draft targets who, for whatever the reason, simply hasn’t panned out within the pro ranks. Even if White somehow figures things out with the 49ers this offseason and impresses in training camp, it’ll be awfully hard for him to buck off someone else from the roster. Perhaps he’s able to usurp Trent Sherfield, but even that seems unlikely at this point.

If anything, it’s still fair for fans of both Hurd and White to wish they’d made a bigger splash after leaving the college ranks.