The 49ers have spent considerable effort overhauling special teams this offseason, and landing Jordan Watkins late in the NFL Draft will help more.
It's not necessarily a good year for teams needing wide receivers in the NFL Draft. Unlike previous seasons, where it seemed there was no shortage of top wideout prospects, the 2025 class is not just thin but also fairly top-heavy. The bulk of prospects at the position appear to be so-so, at best, while many fall into the category of needing a lot of polish and work at the pro level.
The San Francisco 49ers are somewhere in between needing true wide receiver help and being perfectly fine. Despite trading away Deebo Samuel earlier this offseason, the Niners still boast Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and second-year pro Ricky Pearsall to headline the bunch.
That said, Aiyuk is still working his way back from a torn ACL and MCL suffered last season, and the depth behind Jennings and Pearsall is questionable, at best.
So, it makes sense for San Francisco to use one of its 11 draft picks later this April on a receiver, if for no other reason than to beef up the depth chart with the absolute upside hope of finding a hidden gem.
Perhaps that player winds up being Ole Miss' Jordan Watkins.
49ers should be attracted to Jordan Watkins based on special teams alone
Watkins reportedly had a top-30 visit with the 49ers, meaning the likely day-three draft target is certainly on head coach Kyle Shanahan's radar:
It'd be easy to highlight Watkins' many positive attributes, including an impressive 4.37 40-yard time at the NFL Combine earlier this spring. Despite his smallish 5-foot-11 and 196-pound frame, the receiver is physical and boasts great play strength.
That said, Watkins had boom-or-bust levels of production in college, sometimes disappearing from games despite posting over 900 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the Rebels last year.
Related story: 49ers fans would have nightmares if San Francisco drafts this wide receiver
Shanahan might only view him as an offensive project. However, in light of the Niners' massive special teams overhaul this offseason, including bringing in new coordinator Brant Boyer, targeting Watkins makes plenty of sense from a return perspective.
As a punt returner, Watkins grabbed 36 returns for 291 yards over his collegiate career, averaging 8.1 yards per attempt. This specialist role is certainly regarded as one of his plus traits entering the draft.
Considering San Francisco has only questionable options in that role entering 2025, it wouldn't be shocking at all if it honed in on Watkins to plug the void once the third and final day of the draft rolls around.