3 Receivers the 49ers Should Steer Clear of in the NFL Draft
It's more likely than not that the San Francisco 49ers will draft a wide receiver this year.
There's no future beyond the position after 2026, so it's a sensible move. If they do target a receiver, the 49ers would do well to steer clear of these three prospects in the NFL draft.
Denzel Boston
One type of receiver that the 49ers typically aren't fond of is the big body, possession receivers. They aren't optimal in their offense, which makes Washington's Denzel Boston a player to avoid.
It's not that it couldn't work and that Boston isn't an exceptional talent, but the 49ers are better off honing in on faster receivers with sharper route running. Hopefully, they have the skills to do damage after the catch, too.
Now, you can probably cite Mike Evans and Jauan Jennings as fits on the 49ers. Neither are fast, but play big and have/will excel in the offense. Maybe they can help Boston's skills expand.
However, Evans is not a great comparison at all. He once had some solid speed despite his big frame. That's what made him so special. He could beat any coverage and dominate.
Boston hasn't proven to beat man coverage. And with his lack of speed, he's prone to throw the timing off on routes and struggle to find the open space against zone. This is an easy pass for the Niners.
Malachi Fields
I fail to see it with Notre Dame's Malachi Fields. He's another big body possession receiver with a great catch radius. However, he's never once registered a 1,000-yard season.
The closest he came to it was in 2023 when he played at Virginia. He tallied 58 catches for 811 yards. Fields' ceiling at best seems like a No. 3 option in an offense.
But on the 49ers, he wouldn't be any option. His fit wouldn't make sense to them. Not to mention that he isn't quick and doesn't possess any after-the-catch ability.
A receiver that doesn't have the production or a bunch of skills to be in love with should not entice the 49ers. Any receiver they take needs to be impactful, and they'll be waiting a long time, if ever, with Fields.
Brenen Thompson
There's a chance that the 49ers will be enticed to draft Mississippi State's Brenen Thompson. His last year in college was a fairly sensational one, where he tallied 57 catches for 1,054 yards and 6 scores.
His skills are speed, vertical routes, and run-after-the-catch ability. Shanahan could use Thompson in the 49ers' offense. However, he's fool's gold. He's not confident running routes across the middle through traffic.
That's what the 49ers need out of their wideouts. The ability to run the in-breaking routes is huge. Plus, Thompson hasn't strung together productive seasons. 2025 was his only year when he was sweet.
Maybe he's starting to figure it out, but part of why he's struggled to break out is because of injuries. Thompson has a history of hurting his ankle dating back to college, which has required surgery before.
Thompson has some ability to be fond of, but a lot to be scared of as well. Even using a fourth-round pick on him, which is the only pick that makes sense, is risky. It's a "no thanks" on Thompson.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as 3 Receivers the 49ers Should Steer Clear of in the NFL Draft.
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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM.