Todd McShay seems to think it was Deebo Samuel, do you disagree?
The San Francisco 49ers made some moves in the 2019 NFL Draft and the further you went, the more polarizing they became. Right up to where they took a punter in the fourth round. There were still some picks with value that filled needs and the 49ers came out with a decent haul for thanks to their navigation of the board.
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay put together the most valuable pick for each of the 32 NFL teams and said the 49ers’ was Deebo Samuel. Keep in mind, as McShay says, this isn’t the “best pick” which everyone will agree was Nick Bosa (though based on need and consideration, McShay says is a good candidate). This is in relation to players available and the board.
Here’s what McShay said about Samuel:
It would have been easy to say Nick Bosa here. He’s the top player in the class and the fit is perfect. But I love Samuel, and this was a good spot to get him. He will be a playmaker for Jimmy Garoppolo, competing for balls in traffic and picking up yardage after the catch. He’s just really fun to watch when he has the ball in his hands and is a physical receiver who is built like a running back. Every time he touches the ball, there’s big-play potential. He’s a dangerous threat out of the slot, but he can also make a dent in the return game.
The first thing to point out about Samuel, is I doubt he’s going to be used in the slot. Well let me rephrase: he’s not going to be exclusive to the slot. Samuel seems more like a ‘Z’ receiver in the vein of Pierre Garcon from what I’ve seen—and I’m not alone in this. If the 49ers drafted Samuel for the slot, it makes no sense given they have Trent Taylor, Richie James and other receivers.
The other thing is, Samuel seems less value and more obvious. I would have loved N’Keal Harry, but (surprise, surprise) the New England Patriots had to have him fall into their laps. If I can’t get Harry, I’m happy with Samuel because of his senior bowl performance (I.E. responsiveness to Shanahan’s coaching) and just how freakish he is given his size.
My value pick is (get ready to laugh) the most non-value pick on the surface, but I love it, and that’s punter Mitch Wishnowsky. We’ll get into how good this guy is going to be (I want to say kid, but he’s 27) in another post, but for now, just trust me on this guy. Wishnowsky has been making Rob’s Twitter feed Sunday with highlights and has a hang time on punts that’s unreal. He’s also consistent at getting the opposing team pinned beyond the 20-yard line. If Kyle Shanahan’s offense can manage just one or two first downs on possessions and this Wishnowsky kid—err—dude can run in and pin the opposing offense near their endzone? Send that pass rush unit in to clean up. An offensive playbook is severely limited at the 10-yard line or worse due to the endzone being factored into dropbacks and the obvious concerns of the defense getting a safety. If the 49ers defense has improved like we all hope, this punter is a slam dunk.
And yes, if this punter busts, I will be the first to come here and eat my crow, admitting I was soooooo wrong. Considering the 49ers took Kentavius Street in the fourth round last year and he didn’t play a single snap, I’d say a punter that will start might be a better option.
What do you think was the value pick of 2019?
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