If the 49ers are continuing the big wide receiver theme, the UDFA out of Arizona has a chance to make the roster

We’ll be taking a look at two undrafted free agents today, starting with a wide receiver. Prior to the 2019 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers showed interest in Arizona wide receiver Shawn Poindexter. At Poindexter’s Pro Day, 49ers offensive quality control coach conducted the workout for Poindexter.

“Got a chance to talk and listen to Miles Austin, who coached me up a little bit out there,” Poindexter said. “Which was awesome.”

The 6-foot-4 ¹⁄2, 212 pound receiver was disappointed in his 40-yard dash time. Poindexter had been training with Arizona’s track coach, but still ran north of 4.6. The rest of his workout reportedly went well, but we know the NFL loves speed. Because there was initial interest, I took a closer look at the former Wildcat to see if there was a chance he could make the Niners roster.

Touchdowns are fun

During 2018, Poindexter caught 42 passes. 11 of those went for touchdowns. We talked about sixth round selection Kaden Smith earlier this morning. Poindexter fits in the same mold of Kyle Shanahan adjusting to where the team lacked last year. There are plenty of receivers that are big, but don’t play to their size. That isn’t the case with Poindexter, who is another big-bodied receiver that thrives in contested situations. Per PFF, his drop rate was 2.3. Check this play out below. This is an option the 49ers didn’t have last year.

You don’t accidentally score 11 touchdowns. Poindexter was able to score in a variety of ways. The play above was the most common. There were a couple plays where Poindexter benefited from the QB scrambling, but for the most part, his touchdowns were plays that you can see happening again. That’s a good thing.

Poindexter is good for a couple highlight plays a game, too. He made these catches seem easy.

They won’t be as easy as that, but that tells you the type of strength Poindexter has.

By the numbers

Poindexter’s official Pro Day numbers were as followed.

40 yard dash: 4.68

Vertical jump: 35.5

Broad Jump: 10’5

20 yard short shuttle: 4.33

3-cone: 7.03

The good news is you see all of those numbers when he plays. That’s a pretty good 3-cone time, considering his size. I think it’s easy to just look at a 40-yard dash and come to the conclusion that if it’s below average, then the player is a bad athlete. His jumps tell you that there’s some explosion. Poindexter doesn’t wow you after the catch, and that’s where the short shuttle and long speed come into play. There isn’t much wiggle to his game, but he can start and stop without any wasted movements. That matters.

If the 49ers are truly going in the opposite direction of the receivers last year, Poindexter fits the bill. He will have to show that he can consistently make these plays at the NFL level. If he can, he has a chance to steal the last receiver spot on the roster. That’ll be a fun training camp battle to keep an eye on.