Breaking Down the Best WR Fit for the 49ers in 2015 NFL Draft

Unless general manager Trent Baalke goes against conventional wisdom, the San Francisco 49ers will target a wide receiver in one of the first two rounds of the 2015 NFL draft.

The need is simple to understand. Last year, the 49ers passing offense ranked No. 30 in the league with 3,063 yards through the air. The receiving corps lacked speed to take the top off opposing defenses and, aside from 34-year-old wideout Anquan Boldin, there really wasn't a consistent threat via the aerial attack.

Further offseason changes may also prompt the necessity for San Francisco to act. Fellow receivers Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd are going to be free agents, and it doesn't seem likely the 49ers will retain them given how pressed up against the cap they are.

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And the supporting cast of depth wideouts like Stevie Johnson, Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington haven't quite worked themselves into legitimate roles.

So the need exists for the 49ers to find their playmaking wideout of the future in 2015. 

Unlike last year, the 2015 wide receiver draft class isn't quite as deep. But there is enough legitimate talent to suggest the 49ers won't have any problem securing a playmaker with the No. 15 pick in Round 1.

But which target best suits San Francisco's needs?

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Kevin White, West Virginia

With top receiving prospect Amari Cooper off the board, the 49ers will look to address their receiving needs with the next tier of wide receiver talent.

West Virginia wideout Kevin White is ranked by CBS Sports as the next-best receiver available entering this draft. But the projection also lists him as the 13th-best prospect, which means White could easily be gone should Baalke not execute any sort of trade-up package.

Trading up for White isn't out of the question. The 49ers were able to send their own first- and third-round picks to move up and draft safety Eric Reid back in 2013. Would a similar transaction work to nab White? Perhaps a move around pick Nos. 10 through 12 would put San Francisco into a better position.

But there remains an outside possibility White falls to San Francisco at No. 15. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. (h/t Ryan Sakamoto of NinerFans.com) mocked White going to the 49ers.

"

ESPN Mel Kiper has #49ers taking WVU WR Kevin White with the No. 15 overall pick. Kap is going to work out w/White in AZ during off-season.

— Ryan Sakamoto (@SakamotoRyan) January 15, 2015"

At 6'3" and 209 pounds, White has the size to match up with any physical defensive back in the league. His hands are also among the best as shown in the video below.

Additionally, White has great acceleration and can make the tough catches look easy.

Those accolades helped White net more than 1,400 yards with the Mountaineers in 2014.

But as Dane Brugler of CBS Sports points out, White does not exactly possess the breakneck speed the 49ers desire.

Still, White is able to use his acceleration to get open. And it isn't as if White is slow. 

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DeVante Parker, Louisville

While White's draft stock continues to rise, Louisville wideout DeVante Parker's stock has dropped a bit—at least according to CBS Sports.

Parker is now listed as the third-best wideout available in the draft. But it isn't as if Parker would be a bad pick. 

The Louisville prospect is also 6'3" and 209 pounds and has similar leaping ability and hands, per Derek Stephens of CBS Sports—attributes similar to those of White.

But Stephens also points out Parker doesn't have elite speed nor the top-tier acceleration.

Regardless, Parker's first-round talents are justified by the 2,775 receiving yards he had over four years at Louisville.

Year	Class	Receptions	Yards	Average	TDs
2011	FR	18	291	16.2	6
2012	SO	40	744	18.6	10
2013	JR	55	885	16.1	12
2014	SR	43	855	19.9	5
Total		156	2,775	17.8	33

According to CBS Sports, Parker is ranked as the 16th-overall prospect in this year's draft, which means he could easily be the best player on the board when San Francisco is slated to pick at No. 15. This, of course, would hinge on Parker's stock remaining where it is right now.

If so, there would be no need for a trade-up. Baalke could save whatever picks that would otherwise be used to supplement other areas needing attention.

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Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma

Another hot riser is Oklahoma wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. At 6'6" and 225 pounds, Green-Beckham is one of the tallest wideouts available in the draft. And the combination of size and speed make him one of the most enticing prospects in Round 1.

Green-Beckham was a touchdown machine with Missouri in 2013—recording 12 end-zone grabs on 59 receptions. 

No one can deny his freakish athleticism. But there are plenty of character concerns that must be drawn into question.

Per Brugler, Green-Beckham "doesn't have NFL work ethic yet" and has "strong off-field and maturity concerns." Multiple incidents led to his dismissal from Missouri and eventual transfer to Oklahoma in 2014.

"

#49ers have No. 15 pick < RT @dpbrugler: WR Dorial Green-Beckham is going to be fascinating test case. Red flags galore, but top-10 talent.

— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) January 6, 2015"

These red flags have certainly hindered his draft stock. With other NFL players like Cleveland Browns wideout Josh Gordon getting into legal trouble—and even the 49ers not immune to off-the-field concerns—one has to wonder which team will take a flier on this troubled talent.

The 49ers could take the risk, of course. They did so with linebacker Aaron Lynch in 2015, who fell to them in the fifth round. That pick worked out nicely. And some veteran guidance from some established cast members in San Francisco's locker room could also help.

If this happened, and Green-Beckham emerged as a professional, his talents could be among the tops for a struggling 49ers offense.

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Jaelen Strong, ASU

While not quite as big as Green-Beckham, ASU wideout Jaelen Strong is nearly as equal in terms of overall size. The 6'4", 212-pound talent has plenty of physicality to his game and makes for a tough tackle.

According to Rob Rang of CBS Sports, Strong has excellent acceleration and mobility that allows him to create space and become a legitimate vertical threat.

But Rang also points out his drawbacks. While Strong is an amazing athlete, the wideout is raw in a number of areas. Rang elaborates more:

"

Strong's talent is undeniable but he's far from a finished product. He generally catches the ball with his hands and can make the dazzling acrobatic reception but fights the ball on occasion and needs to do a better job of extending his arms fully to high-point passes and take full advantage of his height advantage. He's going to need to sharpen up his route-running, as well, as too often he gets by on simply posting up defenders at this level.

"

Strong posted 82 receptions for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns for ASU in 2014. Those numbers and his positive accolades make him a first-round talent. 

Year	Class	Receptions	Yards	Average	TDs
2013	SO	75	1,122	15.0	7
2014	JR	82	1,165	14.2	10
Total		157	2,287	14.6	17

Projected as the 25th-overall prospect by CBS Sports, Strong may easily be on the boards by the time San Francisco's number is called in Round 1. It's also not far removed that Baalke trades down a few spots should the aforementioned receiving prospects not be available.

This could feasibly add another pick to the 49ers' arsenal and add a legitimate talent that would give San Francisco a physical playmaker with good speed.

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The Best Fit?

There are a number of other wideouts that warrant consideration. Auburn's Sammy Coates is an intriguing prospect as is Michigan's Devin Funchess. But both of these players are ranked as late first- or early second-round picks, making a selection at No. 15 a bit of an overbid in terms of value.

San Francisco may swap out its first-round selection and grab one of these guys. But if the team chooses one of the four prospects mentioned, who would be the best fit?

It should be White.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller agrees on this selection. Miller discussed this with Tyler Emerick of 49ers.com:

"

I still think that speed is so important for the 49ers, finding someone who can stretch the field and let Kaepernick use his arm strength. For that reason, I think Kevin White is a better fit for what the 49ers do... I don’t think either one [referring to White and Parker] is the wrong pick, but in terms of a team that needs to add some speed, I think White is a better fit.

"

Assuming the 49ers target a wide receiver in Round 1, it would be hard to pass up on White unless the potential asking price to trade up is too high. Such was the case when Baalke inquired about a move up to try and nab wideout Odell Beckham Jr. last year.

But if this scenario is reasonable, the 49ers need to jump. If not, there are a number of talented prospects still available on the board.

All San Francisco has to do is act accordingly.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated. Supplemental draft information courtesy of CBS Sports.

Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers news, insight and analysis.

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