5 Prospects the San Francisco 49ers Should Target in the 2015 NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers have hired former defensive line coach Jim Tomsula as their next head coach. Tomsula and general manager Trent Baalke will now attempt to build a quality staff of assistant coaches.

Tomsula will inherit a strong roster, but one that will still have some holes to fill. The 49ers' biggest need is still a wide receiver that can stretch the field.

At present, the 49ers have Anquan Boldin, Stevie Johnson, Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington as the main receivers on the roster. None of these receivers is a true deep threat with game-breaking speed.

In addition, with the uncertainty surrounding free agents Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, cornerback is a position the 49ers should bolster.

Jimmie Ward, the 49ers' 2014 first-round draft selection, missed eight games due to injury. He was playing the nickel or slot corner spot, but a broken bone in his foot, the same injury he had surgery on in the spring, ended his season prematurely.

Starting cornerback Tramaine Brock played in only three games this past season. At this point, the reliability of both Brock and Ward are in question.

The 49ers will also need to make a decision on Vernon Davis. He has a huge cap number of greater than $7 million and his production in 2014 does not merit anything near that.

With the 49ers already over the projected cap for 2015, releasing Davis will result in cap savings of roughly $5 million, according to spotrac.com.

If Davis is cut, tight end becomes another area of need. Vance McDonald has been a disappointment in his two years with the 49ers. In 2013, his rookie season, he dropped several passes and looked slow and out of shape. In addition, injuries have plagued McDonald in each of the past two seasons.

The other spot that could become a major area of need is at defensive end. If Justin Smith opts to retire, although the Niners have Tony Jerod-Eddie and Tank Carradine, neither has proven to have the type of ability and productivity of Smith.

Baalke's attention will be split between hiring assistant coaches and preparing for the draft. Both are extremely important for the 49ers and Baalke cannot afford to miss on either task.

Although the number could change by the time the draft rolls around, the 49ers currently have nine selections, including the 15th-overall pick in Round 1. Let's take a look at five potential options the 49ers should consider in the 2015 draft.

Kevin White, Wide Receiver

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In 2014, Kevin White caught 109 passes for West Virginia.

The 2014 draft was arguably the best class of wide receiving prospects ever. Twelve wide receivers were selected in the first two rounds, including Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks, Kelvin Benjamin, Jordan Matthews, Paul Richardson and Davante Adams.

In this regard, San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke blew it. The 49ers needed a top-flight wide receiving prospect but did not get one. Now, with the likely departure of Michael Crabtree via free agency, the need becomes even more severe.

The 2015 class of wide receivers is nowhere near as strong as the 2014 class. Baalke needed some foresight and should have come to the realization his chances for grabbing a top receiver in the draft were much better last year.

Now the 49ers are stuck, and they absolutely must get a potential star wide receiver in the draft. They do not have the cap space to sign a proven free agent, so the draft is their only viable option.

After Alabama receiver Amari Cooper, who is likely to go in the top five or six selections, there are only a few other prospects that look like first-round material.

DeVante Parker, Kevin White, Jaelen Strong, Sammie Coates and Dorial Green-Beckham are the other top receivers who are the most likely to be selected in the first round.

For the 49ers, Kevin White is the best fit. He had an excellent 2014 season at West Virginia. White caught 109 passes, for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 109 receptions led the Big 12 and was third best in college football. 

Walter Football said of White: 

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[He] has a unique combination with size and quickness. He can get separation and can make contested catches with the strength to outfight defensive backs for the ball. Elite speed could be the only thing missing from his skill set.

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Stats courtesy of sports-reference.com.

DeVante Parker, Wide Receiver

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DeVante Parker played in only six games in his senior year.

CBSsports.com rates DeVante Parker above Kevin White, although I personally prefer White.

White has stayed healthy and had a better collegiate career than Parker. In 2014, Parker played in only six games for the Louisville Cardinals, due to a broken bone in his foot.

Does this sound eerily familiar to Jimmie Ward?

Nevertheless, with the 49ers' need at wide receiver, Parker needs to be given strong consideration.

In his six games this past season, Parker caught 43 passes for 855 yards and five touchdowns. His 19.9 yards-per-catch is extremely impressive and shows he can get down the field and make big plays.

Trae Waynes, Cornerback

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Trae Waynes, (15), has shown good cover skills in college.

Cornerback is a position the 49ers need to improve and also add quality depth. The uncertainty surrounding the return of Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, as well as the health issues surrounding Jimmie Ward and Tramaine Brock, make Trae Waynes a good option for the 49ers.

Waynes is a junior out of Michigan State who has declared for the upcoming NFL draft. 

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. (via USA Today) had this to say about Waynes:

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"Waynes will grade out as the best cover corner in the draft for many teams, and he also offers something that pretty much everybody covets at the position, which is length," Kiper wrote of the 6-foot-1, 182-pound Waynes. "Waynes is also a good zone defender, and while he's lean, he is above average at run support. He has good ball skills and really does a good job of tracking the ball. He's a player who can help turn what should be a really good defensive line's pressure into more turnovers."

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Cornerback is also a position where injuries often seem to pile up. A case in point is the 49ers' top five cornerbacks, Tramaine Brock, Chris Culliver, Jimmie Ward, Perrish Cox and Chris Cook, all missed time due to injury in 2015.

Waynes could use a little more weight and strength, which should come as he hits the weight room. He does have good speed and solid coverage skills, which will make him a valuable asset for the 49ers. 

Maxx Williams, Tight End

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Maxx Williams could be the first tight end selected in the upcoming draft.

Maxx Williams has declared for the NFL draft, even though, as a redshirt sophomore, he just finished his second season at the University of Minnesota.

Williams is ranked as the top tight end in the draft, according to Walter Football. Here's what they have to say about Williams:

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He has good size, natural receiving skills, and athleticism, and is fast. Williams also has some blocking potential. He recorded 36 passes for 569 yards with eight touchdowns during the regular season. He was capable of a lot more production for the Gophers, as he is a real mismatch weapon, but they had a run-based offense. 

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Minnesota utilized a run-oriented offense, which limited the opportunities Williams had to catch the ball. However, that should also have helped his ability to block.

The 49ers should release Vernon Davis, as his productivity fell dramatically in 2014. He had only 26 catches for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Cutting Davis would result in roughly $5 million in cap savings, which is critical for the 49ers, who are over the 2015 projected salary cap.

The 49ers' backup tight end, Vance McDonald, had his second disappointing season since being drafted in 2013. McDonald, a second-round selection, has not produced, nor has he been able to stay on the field.

McDonald played in only eight games in 2014. He caught only two passes for 30 yards. The 49ers would be foolish to expect McDonald to suddenly become a starting-caliber NFL tight end that can stay healthy. Nothing in the past two seasons indicates that being a likely scenario.

With Davis likely on his way out and McDonald a huge question mark, Williams needs to be considered. If he's available when the 49ers pick in the second round, Trent Baalke would be wise to make him the 49ers' pick.

Stats for Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald courtesy of pro-football-reference.

P.J. Williams, Cornerback

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P.J. Williams will forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

In addition to Trae Waynes, P.J. Williams is a cornerback who should be on the 49ers' radar map. He had an excellent junior year at Florida State and has that elusive star potential.

CBSsports.com has high praise for Williams:

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Demonstrates an impressive combination of speed, fluidity and physicality that make him an ideal outside corner prospect for the next level.

Displayed reliable open-field tackling as the boundary corner defending Georgia Tech's triple-option attack. Will slip or fight through blocks and aggressively pursue ball carriers to deliver forceful hits.

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Williams is a bit bigger and more physical than Waynes, which will suit him well in the NFL. An ideal solution for the 49ers would be to trade back a few spots and be able to select Williams and a receiver.