49ers: Full Position Breakdown and Depth-Chart Analysis at Wide Receiver
You can’t break down the San Francisco 49ers’ receiving corps without mentioning rookie fourth-round draft pick DeAndre Smelter.
He might not play at all in 2015—he tore his ACL last year and probably will spend the first six weeks of the season on the non-football injury list, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. No one knows if Smelter will contribute after that, if he’ll be effective without a full offseason to acclimate himself to the speed of the NFL.
But in 2016, he should have a full offseason and a chance to become a starter. Next season is Anquan Boldin’s final season under contract, and Smelter seems like the obvious choice to replace him. Like Boldin, Smelter is a big receiver (6'2", 226 lbs) with big hands (11") and a big catching radius.
Don’t be shocked if Smelter is the Niners’ starting flanker in 2016.
Until then, here’s a breakdown of San Francisco's top six wide receivers for 2015.
6. DeAndrew White, Rookie
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The 49ers signed five undrafted free-agent wide receivers after the draft this year—Dres Anderson, Issac Blakeney, DiAndre Campbell, Darius Davis and DeAndrew White.
Of those five, White clearly was the best during OTAs and minicamps. He was quick, explosive and he caught every pass thrown his way. He was so good he worked with the first-team offense the final day of minicamp.
If you dig into White’s past, you see he has a pedigree. Rivals.com ranked him the 73rd-best prospect in the nation when he came out of high school in 2009. He received scholarships offers from Auburn, Florida, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and other top programs.
White’s junior and senior seasons at Alabama, he caught 72 passes for 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns—solid production considering the bulk of the passes went to Fred Biletnikoff Award-winner Amari Cooper.
Before the draft, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote that White “appears to have lost a step since his 2012 knee injury.” But then White ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, so it appears he regained the step he lost, if indeed he ever lost it in the first place.
White should be a lock to make the team if he stays healthy, which might be an issue considering he couldn’t stay healthy in college. He hurt his knee, toe, shoulder and hamstring, according to NFL.com.
Will his body hold up when the collisions start?
5. Bruce Ellington, 2nd Year
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Bruce Ellington was the primary returner as a rookie in 2014, but the coaching staff rarely used him on offense. It gave him only 12 touches, per NinerFans.com's Ryan Sakamoto.
When the staff did use him on offense, he was effective, scoring three touchdowns. He seemed to merit more playing time, but head coach Jim Harbaugh seemed to prefer playing veterans on offense.
It’s tough to say how the new coaching staff intends to use Ellington. He missed OTAs and minicamp rehabbing a pulled hamstring, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Ellington is unique to the 49ers’ receiving corps. He’s the only receiver the Niners can line up in the backfield, and he’s their best receiver when it comes to running the jet sweep. Ellington is a wide receiver/scatback combo.
So even though he might not be the Niners’ No. 3 or No. 4 receiver next season—he’s tiny, only 5’9”—the Niners probably have created a few packages specifically for him that they'll install whenever he returns to practice.
4. Quinton Patton, 3rd Year
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During OTAs and minicamp, Quinton Patton and Jerome Simpson were the second-team offense’s starting wide receivers. They’re competing to be the first-team offense's No. 3 receiver.
I expect Patton will lose that competition.
Not because he can’t play—he’s a talented young receiver, a fourth-round pick in 2013. He runs good routes and can make tough catches over the middle. He’s fearless.
But I don’t think that’s what the Niners are looking for in their No. 3 receiver next season.
They already have their possession receiver who makes tough catches over the middle—Anquan Boldin. The Niners seem to want to create space for Boldin by surrounding him with fast players, players who complement him.
Patton doesn’t complement Boldin; he duplicates him. So he probably won’t play much in 2015, although he can be the Niners’ slot receiver in 2016 if Boldin leaves during free agency.
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3. Jerome Simpson, 7th Year
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Why is Jerome Simpson so underrated?
Sure, he didn’t play last season—the Minnesota Vikings cut him before he finished serving a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.
But he’s only 29, and in 2013 he was one of the best deep threats in the NFL. No exaggeration. He caught 10 passes 20 yards or more downfield that season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Only 10 receivers caught more deep passes than Simpson in 2013, and Niners’ No. 2 receiver and former Baltimore Ravens No. 1 receiver Torrey Smith wasn’t one of them. Like Simpson, Smith caught 10 deep passes in 2013, per Pro Football Focus.
The Niners will have two dangerous deep threats on the field when they use three-receiver sets next season.
2. Torrey Smith, 5th Year
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By my count, Torrey Smith and Colin Kaepernick connected only five times during three days of team drills in minicamp. Wednesday, the second day, was their roughest day. Smith caught just two of six passes Kaepernick threw his way.
The Niners finished Wednesday’s practice with a two-minute drill—11-on-11, first-team offense against first-team defense. It was 1st-and-10 from the defense’s 23-yard line, and Kaepernick threw a back-shoulder fade 10 yards behind Smith. It seemed like the first time they had run that play together.
The very next play, Kaepernick threw a deep pass to Smith, who was double-covered by cornerback Chris Cook and free safety Jaquiski Tartt. Tartt easily intercepted the pass in the end zone.
On Thursday, Kaepernick threw another deep pass to Smith. This time second-year corner Dontae Johnson single-covered Smith. He caught the pass for a gain of 40 yards.
Smith and Kaepernick are beginning to get a feel for each other. That is important, considering Smith probably will be Kaepernick’s best receiver as soon as next year if Anquan Boldin leaves during free agency.
1. Anquan Boldin, 13th Year
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Anquan Boldin chose not to attend OTAs, so he got a late start learning the 49ers’ new offense.
When he arrived at minicamp, he seemed unsure of himself during team drills, like he still was figuring out where to go on each play. During team drills he caught just two passes the entire minicamp. He also dropped two passes.
This shouldn’t be a concern. Boldin and Colin Kaepernick already have chemistry. Boldin needs to learn the playbook, and Kaepernick needs to practice throwing to other receivers.
When the season begins, Boldin should be ready to do what he always does—convert third downs. He made 27 first-down catches on third down last season, tops in the NFC.
The only uncertainty surrounding Boldin is where he'll play in 2016. Will the 49ers re-sign him, or will they let him walk and promote a young receiver to the starting lineup? The answer should present itself as the 2015 regular season progresses.
All quotations and practice observations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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