Will the 49ers Draft a Wide Receiver in Round 1?

One way or another, wide receiver will be big a need for the 49ers next year. And rookie wide receivers don't always flourish right away, so it would make sense for the 49ers to draft one now and develop him so he's ready to replace one of their top three wide outs if one or more leaves next year.

Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (WO19) during the 2024 NFL / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers have no immediate holes to fill in their starting lineup. So they could spend their first-round pick on the best player available, or address a future need. And the 49ers never have drafted the best player available in Round 1 since Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have been with the team.

Which means the 49ers almost certainly will address a future need with their first draft pick this year. And wide receiver is as big of a future need as anything for the 49ers because Jauan Jennings will be an unrestricted free agent next year. Plus there will be an out in Deebo Samuel's contract that will allow the 49ers free up more than $9 million in salary cap space if they trade him. Plus Brandon Aiyuk might not be on the team next year if the 49ers make him play out the fifth-year option on his rookie contract rather than give him the extension he wants. Or they could trade him before the upcoming draft.

One way or another, wide receiver will be big a need for the 49ers next year. And rookie wide receivers don't always flourish right away, so it would make sense for the 49ers to draft one now and develop him so he's ready to replace one of their top three wide outs if one or more leaves next year.

And the best player available when the 49ers pick just might be a wide receiver. Oregon's Troy Franklin, Georgia's Ladd McConkey and Texas' Adonai Mitchell all would be good values for the 49ers at pick no. 31.

Don't be shocked if they take one of those three wide receivers next week.