San Francisco 49ers: Late-Round Receivers to Watch at the NFL Combine

Tuesday, we looked at the top of the NFL draft big board for the San Francisco 49ers entering the combine.  It is, as to be expected, absolutely loaded with receivers, as that’s the most obvious area of need the 49ers have at the moment.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the 49ers have to address that need in the first round. 

You may, entirely justifiably, be of the opinion that receivers are too risky when drafted early.  You may remember the busts of A.J. Jenkins and Rashaun Woods and worry about spending a premium draft pick on a position that has, in the recent past, not been drafted well by the 49ers' front office.  A safer pick on the offensive or defensive lines might make more sense to you.

While such fears are perhaps a bit overstated, the 49ers could opt to bypass the position in the first round and fill the need with a later draft pick.  In fact, you could argue, considering the bust rate, the 49ers should use multiple late-round picks on the position, rather than one early-round pick. 

That would increase the odds that at least one receiver taken would develop into a solid starter for the team, even as it decreases the odds that said receiver would be among the best of the best.

With that in mind, here are some names to watch at the combine.  I’ve named one receiver the 49ers could target with every non-first round pick they have, including the projected compensatory selections.  Perhaps one of them will have a breakout day at the combine and be the receiver who will bolster the 49ers’ lineup for years to come.

Round 2: Sammie Coates, Auburn

Coates will be one of the fastest players at the combine, running somewhere in the vicinity of a 4.3 40-yard dash if past results hold.  He also has the frame you’re looking for in a receiver, standing at 6’2” and 201 pounds.  He’s going to be a vertical threat at the next level, which is what the 49ers really need—Anquan Boldin will serve for now as their top possession receiver.

Coates isn’t a possession receiver—he drops far too many passes for that.  He had a drop rate of 19.1 percent last season, according to Brian Hawkins of Dynasty Football Warehouse, which is fairly abysmal.  NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah wrote that Coates has Terrell Owens’ body, Odell Beckham’s burst and Darrius Heyward-Bey’s hands.  Two out of three ain’t bad?  If he can get his hands up to NFL specs, he’d be a first-round talent.

Round 3: Justin Hardy, East Carolina

Hardy was the best route-runner at the Senior Bowl, according to NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah.  He’s the all-time FBS leader in receptions, hauling in 387 catches in four years at East Carolina, so that shows he can produce. 

He’s got a great motor and fights for every yard he can get every time—he doesn’t take plays off or go half-speed.  He’s a real weapon in the short and intermediate passing games and looks to be a weapon out of the slot at the NFL.

His receptions carry somewhat of an asterisk, because the competition level is lower in the American Conference than in some of the other big-time conferences.  East Carolina also runs a very simple route tree, so there’s some question if Hardy can run the full gamut of routes at the NFL level. 

He’s also not going to be a deep threat or be an explosive, game-changing player—think more like a Wes Welker rather than a Randall Cobb out of the slot.  Still, for a mid-round pick, Hardy has notable potential.

 Round 4: Tony Lippett, Michigan State

Lippet’s a very interesting candidate because he played cornerback as well during his senior season—if he doesn’t work out as a receiver, you could always try placing him in the secondary and seeing what happens. 

While he doesn’t have the size or speed you’d look for in an ideal receiver, he was consistently successful against Big Ten defenses, finishing with nearly 1,200 yards last season.  He possesses good jumping ability as well, which, combined with his 6’3” height, gives him a large catch radius.

He doesn’t have elite speed, as he’s small at only 185 pounds, and he’s not going to fight his way out of jams and tight spaces.  He doesn’t have the crispest cuts in the world, either—he’s basically outperforming his talent in many ways.  His work ethic and willingness to do whatever is required of him is worth grabbing in a later round, though.

Round 4, Compensatory: Deontay Greenberry, Houston

I was all set to write about Greenberry here until I looked back at the list and discovered that he wasn’t actually invited to the combine.  Yes, it’s a year early for Greenberry to be coming out, as he could use some more polish, but he has a lot of upside to him. 

He’s the right body type for the NFL at 6’3” and 200 pounds, works well out of the slot and after the catch and would be a developmental prospect for a deep vertical threat at the NFL level.  His numbers are somewhat low, but that’s more due to poor quarterback play at Houston rather than his own talent.

Round 5: Dez Lewis, Central Arkansas

Lewis had a very, very solid Senior Bowl performance, impressing scouts with his body control and ball skills, according to ESPN Insider Kevin Weidl.  Lewis is good at tracking the ball in midair and coming back to make the big play and has a good variety of routes that he succeeds with. 

Yes, he’s from a smaller school and faced lesser competition, and his game needs more polish—but he has the sort of natural athletic ability and work ethic to be worth trying to develop.

Round 6: Darren Waller, Georgia Tech

Mike Stewart/Associated Press

In the late rounds, you’re looking for raw talent and measurables that you can coach up into a functioning NFL receiver, and that’s what Waller gives you. 

At the Senior Bowl, Waller measured in at a gigantic 6’7” and 242 pounds, and he plays with that strength, as well.  No one in college could shut him down on the back-shoulder throws, and I’m not entirely sure how anyone can stop him from climbing the ladder and high-pointing fades and corner routes. 

He’s not a good route-runner, needs to work on creating separation and only has 51 career catches in college, but he has potential.  He’s either going to wash out of the league very quickly or become a touchdown machine, and I’m not sure there’s much of a middle ground.

Round 7: DaVaris Daniels, Notre Dame

JOE RAYMOND/Associated Press

Daniels was dismissed from Notre Dame’s team, thanks to academic fraud.  That’s definitely a black mark in his book, make no mistake.  The difference between a player like Daniels and, say, potential first-rounder Dorial Green-Beckham is the opportunity cost. 

If Green-Beckham doesn’t work out, you’ve lost a first-round pick.  If Daniels doesn’t work out, you’ve lost a seventh-rounder, which usually doesn’t amount to anything anyway.  Daniels has strong hands, is willing to go through traffic to make contested catches and turns upfield rather than dashing sideways to get yardage.  He’s worth kicking the tires on, at least.

Round 7, Compensatory: Deon Long, Maryland

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Long’s already turning 24, so teams will be missing out on a few years of his prime, and he bounced around college, playing at New Mexico, Maryland, West Virginia and Iowa Western.  These are causes for concern, but he has top-level hands and wowed scouts at the East-West Shrine Game. 

NFL.com’s Charles Davis said that Long might have been the best receiver there, outplaying prospects like Tre McBride, Darren Waller and Austin Hill.  He doesn’t have the size or speed you’re looking for in an ideal receiver, but if he continues his impressive performances in the predraft period, he could be worth a very late selection.

Bryan Knowles is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers.  Follow him @BryKno on Twitter.