Wide receiver was perhaps the only glaring need on offense for the 49ers. They rapidly addressed that position in the 2019 NFL draft with Deebo Samuel out of South Carolina. San Francisco gets an ‘A-minus’ grade for this pick.
Perhaps the only thing keeping the 49ers from receiving top marks for their selection was the presence of wide receiver AJ Brown on the board. He might wind up being the best receiver from this class. However, Samuel checks every conceivable box.
Shanahan has made it clear size isn’t a prerequisite to play receiver in his offense, but Samuel’s frame doesn’t match the size he plays with. He operates in a way that makes him look much bigger than 5-11, 214 pounds.
San Francisco should be able to move Samuel into the slot and line him up outside. He runs a diverse route tree with enough speed to take the top off of defenses. Samuel clocked a 4.48 at the combine.
It’s doubtful the 49ers will ever use him for straight line speed though. He’s going to play the same role as Pierre Garçon in Shanahan’s system. It’s all he did under the 49ers’ coaching staff at the Senior Bowl. Garçon was disappointing in red and gold, but he had his best years under Shanahan in Washington.
Jimmy Garoppolo will be able to rely on Samuel right away in any area of the field. He can find him for tough, contested catches on third down, but he can also get him the ball quickly in space and let his new receiver work.
There was a clear need for the 49ers at receiver, and they skipped some of the bigger, faster receivers in favor of a technical route runner who’s good after the catch. Samuel is also a good red-zone target, allowing him to fill all the roles missing in the 49ers’ receiving corps. It’s hard to imagine Samuel not stepping in and paying dividends for San Francisco’s passing attack right away.
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