5 biggest takeaways from 49ers’ 2022 mandatory minicamp

Takeaway No. 4: Ray-Ray McCloud is more than just a 49ers special teams guy

When the Niners signed wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, it was with the intention of bolstering a disappointing special teams that was in desperate need of upgrading. They drafted former SMU wide receiver Danny Gray with the intention of being their speed threat, and it all looked straightforward.

But McCloud has loftier aspirations it seems, and his performance in both OTAs and the minicamp not only should see him getting opportunities on the offense but see him elevated above Gray (who had to sit out with a mild hamstring injury as a precaution) as the WR4 on the team.

Grant Cohn from Sports Illustrated (yes, I know, he isn’t exactly the most popular reporter, but he gives a good account of the preseason practices) highlighted McCloud’s tendency to really make plays on the offense for long gains:

"Ran right by Ambry Thomas (more on him in a minute) up the left sideline for a deep touchdown catch. McCloud also made a 15-yard catch and a 25-yard catch over the middle. He was by far the best receiver on the field today, and he’s much more than a gadget player."

I don’t expect McCloud to feature heavily on the offense, but if he could contribute even 25 receptions for 300 to 400 yards and a couple of touchdowns in addition to his returning duties, that would be an unexpected bonus for San Francisco.

He had 38 receptions for 367 yards last season, so we know he can feature decently in an offense, and I think while the better receiver depth on the 49ers will mean he doesn’t get to that number of receptions, that’ll be countered by the better offensive playcalling by Kyle Shanahan that could see him approach that many yards again.