Ted Ginn Jr. Acquired by San Francisco 49ers: Update Your Mock Drafts

Maybe Frank Gore is breathing just a little bit easier today.

With the trade for Ted Ginn Jr., the chances of the San Francisco 49ers selecting C.J. Spiller in the draft just became a bit more remote.

You can probably cross Dexter McCluster, Jordan Shipley, Trindon Holliday, and Brandon Banks off your mock drafts as well.

This is good news for Niners fans, however.

Ginn cost the team just a fifth-round pick. The fifth round is typically a good spot to find a return specialist that may not offer much else in the way of talent.

So to acquire a threat like Ginn for the return game is a boon for the 49ers.

Ginn was selected by the Dolphins just three years ago in the 2007 draft as the ninth overall pick. It was a pick considered a reach by many—not that he wasn't a first-round talent.

He isn't a huge receiver (6'0", 180 lbs.), but he is blazing fast with 4.3 speed.

In his rookie year, he tallied 1,433 kickoff return yards and another 230 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown, when returning punts. 

When promoted to starting wide receiver in 2008, he was relieved of his return duties temporarily. He did show flashes of the receiver the Dolphins thought they were getting. In a game against Buffalo, Ginn had 175 yards on seven catches.

Ginn ended the season with 56 receptions and 790 yards and another 657 yards in kickoff returns.

Last season, Ginn returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in a game against the New York Jets—one for 100 yards and the other for 101 yards. He returned a total of 52 kicks for 1,296 yards but only 454 yards receiving, in large part because he was benched after Week Seven.

One of the biggest knocks on Ginn is that he drops a lot of balls—not to mention that some of them have come at crucial times.

The 49ers already have a couple of guys that drop a few balls, so this might seem like a bad idea, but I have to believe Ginn was acquired primarily for his return skills and not to bench Josh Morgan.

Ginn already has some pals out here, including Vernon Davis. This is what Davis had to say about Ginn coming to the team on Twitter,

"I just talked to Ted 2 days ago I told him if ever left the dolphins I hope he came to us so we can work, I believe he can be special!"

"I'll pushem"

"Hey Ted I'm on the jug machine everyday after practice, you can find me there. Everyday that you miss you owe me $1000."

"Ted I love you like a brother, I'm excited."

If Ginn can develop into a pro-caliber wide receiver, the team will have found its deep threat, and it will have one of the youngest and potentially most dangerous groups of wide receivers in the league.