Over the past week, trade speculation surrounding the 49ers’ star wide receiver Deebo Samuel has run rampant. In a career year for the team last year, Samuel had 77 catches for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns, along with 59 rushing attempts for 365 yards and eight touchdowns. To call him an integral part of their offense is an understatement. However, he has demanded a trade amid distaste over his usage in the offense, and his request reportedly has little to do with money.
At the pre-draft press conference for the 49ers, general manager John Lynch said that he “can’t envision a scenario where we would” want to move on from Samuel. Lynch also said, “he’s just too good of a player.” An anonymous general manager told NFL reporter Albert Breer that the price is likely two first-round picks for Samuel. At the time I’m writing this, Samuel has yet to be moved, and it seems likely that a trade would happen on the day of the actual draft, if at all.
Deebo Samuel is just built different.
Biggest Remaining Team Needs
Interior Offensive Line: The interior of the offensive line is the most prominent team need right now. The 49ers were already likely to look for an upgrade over Daniel Brunskill at one of their offensive guard slots, as the undrafted free agent from the 2017 class was underwhelming last season. However, the departure of Laken Tomlinson further throws a wrench into the interior of the offensive line, and there’s still a chance Alex Mack could retire. It’s somewhat surprising that the Niners haven’t dipped into the free-agent market yet.
Edge: The emergence of Arden Key last season was promising for the 49ers as he had a career-high 6.5
DT Logan Hall, Houston: I no longer expect Logan Hall to be on the board at #61 for the 49ers, but perhaps they could be enticed to move up the draft board for him. Regardless, he would be an ideal fit for their defense as he has the massive frame, short-area agility, and well-developed swim and club moves to be a menace as a pass-rushing three-technique. Hall may not have the natural lower-body power to be an anchor in run defense, and he plays with a high pad level at times, but his pass-rush upside is highly enticing.
WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State: Even if Deebo Samuel isn’t traded, the 49ers could be highly enticed to draft Trey Lance’s college teammate Christian Watson. This year, he paced all wide receivers in Relative Athletic Score (RAS) at 9.96 out of 10. Watson ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash which would be impressive for any receiver, let alone a 6’4”, 208-pound player. Watson’s route-running is unpolished, and he’s inconsistent at the catch point, but it’s hard to ignore the athletic upside he represents with those numbers.
Just get the ball in the hands of Christian Watson.
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Top Targets for Third Round
IOL Cole Strange, Chattanooga: With the best RAS of any guard in this class, Cole Strange’s athletic upside is easy to fall in love with. He graded in the 90th percentile or better in the broad jump, 40-yard dash, 3-cone drill, and 20-yard shuttle, and his closest RAS comps are Evan Mathis, Ali Marpet, and Joe Thuney. Strange isn’t a fully refined prospect, but his athletic upside makes him an ideal target for Shanahan’s offense, and Lynch hasn’t shied away from drafting small-school prospects in the past.
EDGE: DeAngelo Malone, Western Kentucky: The 49ers hosted DeAngelo Malone for a pre-draft visit, and the Western Kentucky defensive end could make a lot of sense for them as a high-upside pass-rush project. At 6’3”, 243 lbs, Malone could struggle to be a full-time starter on rushing downs. Still, his 180 career collegiate pressures showcase his ability to contribute right away as a designated pass-rusher on third and fourth downs.
This is a tight turn from WKU EDGE DeAngelo Malone – the natural ability to dip+bend is my fav aspect of his game
DT Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma: Perrion Winfrey is a classic example of a prospect being used in the wrong position in college, as Oklahoma asked him to play nose tackle at 6’4”, 290 lbs. He’s an obvious three-technique in the NFL with his explosive first step and ability to get into the backfield quickly – 41% of his tackles went for a loss last year. His inconsistency in gap-control and lack of lower body strength likely relegate him to a three-technique rusher, but he can provide plenty of value in that role.
WR Danny Gray, SMU: Danny Gray was hardly on my radar at the start of the pre-draft process. Then he ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine. That speed isn’t a fluke – you can see it on film despite him being underutilized at SMU. He had too many drops, given his average depth of target was just 10.9 yards – he had a lousy 12.5% drop rate – but his 8.6 yards after the catch per reception ranked eleventh in the country last year per PFF. If there’s a team that can get the most out of him in a gadget role as a playmaker, it’s the 49ers.
Checking out some more wide receivers for the . SMU WR Danny Gray was impressive. Plays to 4.33s timed speed, extra burst in YAC mode, navigates zone coverage well, sells fakes and doesn’t lose speed through breaks, start/stop on vertical stems. Early day 3 projection.
I've been writing about sports for Lineups since the beginning of 2020 and on my own website since 2018. In May 2021, I graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in sport management. With my educational background in the sports business and a strong knowledge of the inner workings of professional and collegiate sports, I hope to tell enthralling stories about the world of sports as it unfolds around me.
