49ers Draft 'Explosive' WR in New Mel Kiper, ESPN Expert NFL Mock Draft amid Brandon Aiyuk Rumors

As the San Francisco 49ers continue to hold onto Brandon Aiyuk with the hope of getting something for him in a trade, they could bring in another playmaker for Brock Purdy in the 2026 NFL draft.

In a new three-round projection released by ESPN's group of draft experts, including Mel Kiper Jr., the 49ers come away with Texas A&M's KC Concepcion with the No. 27 overall pick.

Jordan Reid, who made the selection, touted Concepcion's "explosive" yards-after-the-catch ability as being a perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan's system.

"Concepcion is tailor-made for the Kyle Shanahan offense, as he's an explosive YAC receiver who can align at multiple spots and is capable of running any route on the route tree," Reid wrote.

It was assumed the 49ers were going to release Aiyuk when the new league year started on March 11.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini and Michael Silver reported in November that the two sides appeared headed for a "stunning divorce" because Aiyuk "failed to attend meetings and declined to participate in other team activities" for an extended period of time.

San Francisco voided Aiyuk's guaranteed money in 2026 as a result of his extended absence, with Russini and Silver noting Aiyuk told the NFLPA not to file a grievance on his behalf contesting the decision.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters from the NFL meetings in Phoenix this week that the 49ers are holding onto Aiyuk right now hoping to get something back in a trade and they are "in no rush" for anything to happen.

In addition to Aiyuk's uncertain future, the 49ers are also at risk of losing Jauan Jennings as a free agent. The Niners did invest in help at receiver early in the offseason by signing Mike Evans and Christian Kirk to play alongside Ricky Pearsall, so it's not necessarily a position of need early in the draft.

However, Concepcion does have a skill set that could allow the 49ers to recreate some of what they used to do with Deebo Samuel. He had 70 rushing attempts in three college seasons, with most of them coming during his freshman year at North Carolina State in 2023 (41).

The scouting report on Concepcion from B/R's Damian Parson touts his ability as an "explosive playmaker in space" and having the kind of versatility that "opens up the playbook because he's also dangerous on bubble screens, pre-snap motion, jet sweeps, and handoffs."

After transferring to Texas A&M for the 2025 season, Concepcion set career-highs in receiving yards (919) and yards per reception (15.1).

When you also consider that Evans will turn 33 on Aug. 21 and effectively signed a one-year deal with the 49ers, as well as Pearsall's injury history, it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to add another wide receiver early in the draft as they look to keep pace with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.