In all reality, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's last snap in a San Francisco 49ers uniform came back in October of 2024 when he suffered a torn ACL and MCL against the Kansas City Chiefs, ending his season after a tumultuous period of contract extension talks.
Now, in the wake of his placement on the reserve/left squad list after a series of strange and awkward incidents, it's painfully clear Aiyuk will never take the field for the Niners again despite the hefty extension signed entering 2024.
Unfortunately for San Francisco, that looming outcome leaves general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan awfully shorthanded at the position heading into 2026.
Second-year pro Ricky Pearsall is under contract for two more seasons, plus a fifth-year option on the table. But injuries have forced him in and out of the lineup for the last two years. Meanwhile, Jauan Jennings is a pending free agent, leaving fringe receivers like Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins as the remaining options to round out the depth chart for next season.
Not ideal.
So, it makes sense to put a wide receiver atop Lynch's list of needs this offseason, and that's precisely what Pro Football Focus is thinking with its latest mock draft.
PFF tabs shifty playmaking WR to 49ers in latest mock draft
With the 49ers getting hot down the stretch, the likelihood of owning a firsts-round pick early enough to grab the likes of USC wide receiver Makai Lemon diminish significantly, but it doesn't fully eliminate the possibility of snagging a promising wideout altogether.
So, at No. 29 overall, PFF has the Niners selecting Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion, a 5-foot-11 and 190-pound slot-type receiver who built a reputation for picking up chunk yards after the catch:
"The 49ers rank an uncharacteristically low 28th in yards after catch per completion this season. One player who could add an element of explosiveness to the offense is Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion. Concepcion earned an 81.2 PFF receiving grade while totaling 440 yards after the catch this season, both of which rank among the top 30 marks for FBS wide receivers."
In his first year with the Aggies after transferring from NC State, Concepcion boasted 919 receiving yards on 61 catches for an NCAA-best nine receiving touchdowns en route to an All-American selection.
While there are some concerns about the receiver's size and durability at the pro level, coupled with a lack of top-end speed and the occasional dropped pass, it's understandable why Concepcion could be on Shanahan's radar.
Especially if the head coach wants to get back to boasting plenty of YAC specialists to further weaponize his offense; a clear need after what's almost guaranteed to happen with Aiyuk this offseason.