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It didn't seem likely the San Francisco 49ers would go four full rounds without drafting an offensive player. There's an argument to be made the club should have addressed its offensive line, but picking Mississippi wide receiver Jordan Watkins still checks a box on their list of needs on that side of the ball.
Watkins doesn't have great size at 5-11, 196 pounds, but he brings plenty of athleticism with his frame.
Perhaps the most promising thing about Watkins is that his 4.37 speed shows up on tape, but it isn't the hallmark of his game. He's a good route runner and shows off some nuance in how he uses his speed to set up defenders. Watkins' average depth of target was a whopping 15.8 last season, but he didn't need to be a deep threat to be effective.
On the other hand, it's unclear whether he'll be able to play outside against NFL corners. He may be in a spot where he's mostly a slot player who gets touches sprinkled in through gadget plays.
This is good area of the draft to take a wide receiver. Watkins has some good tools, but he'll need to prove his athleticism holds up in the NFL. There's a chance he winds up in a similar boat to last year's fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing where he's limited to punt returns in his first season.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers draft grades: WR Jordan Watkins an uninspiring choice
Continue reading...
Watkins doesn't have great size at 5-11, 196 pounds, but he brings plenty of athleticism with his frame.
Perhaps the most promising thing about Watkins is that his 4.37 speed shows up on tape, but it isn't the hallmark of his game. He's a good route runner and shows off some nuance in how he uses his speed to set up defenders. Watkins' average depth of target was a whopping 15.8 last season, but he didn't need to be a deep threat to be effective.
On the other hand, it's unclear whether he'll be able to play outside against NFL corners. He may be in a spot where he's mostly a slot player who gets touches sprinkled in through gadget plays.
This is good area of the draft to take a wide receiver. Watkins has some good tools, but he'll need to prove his athleticism holds up in the NFL. There's a chance he winds up in a similar boat to last year's fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing where he's limited to punt returns in his first season.
Grade: C
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers draft grades: WR Jordan Watkins an uninspiring choice
Continue reading...
