The 49ers got unconventional with their Round 4 selection. They traded back from No. 104 to No. 110, and selected Utah punter Mitch Wishnowsky. It was an interesting choice, but it fills a need for San Francisco. Positional value is a concern though, and that’s the biggest reason the Wishnowsky selection gets a ‘D-plus’ grade.
San Francisco conceivably has a slew of other needs they could’ve addressed. They needed a punter after Bradley Pinion left in free agency, but it’s worth questioning whether taking one in Round 4 is prudent use of draft capital.
This further signals that the 49ers’ front office views their roster much differently than people outside the organization do. They valued a punter over another defensive back or some offensive line depth. It’s certainly a decision.
Ultimately the 49ers had punter as one of their top needs and wanted to ensure they scooped up a player who would step in and contribute right away. Justin Vogel, who only has one year of experience that came in 2017, is the other punter on the roster.
Wishnowsky was a Ray Guy Award winner as college football’s best punter in 2016, then he was a finalist for the award over his final two years. He was also a consensus All-American in 2016 when he averaged 47.7 yards per punt. He’ll likely handle kickoff duties for San Francisco as well.
The selection isn’t bad in a vacuum. He’s a good player at a position they had to fill. The value of taking a punter/kickoff artist, who only contributes in minimal ways, in Round 4 just isn’t there.
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