Jeremiah sees 49ers drafting speedy receiver at No. 31 in latest mock originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah has released his fourth and final mock draft less than 24 hours before Thursday’s draft, and it’s safe to say he’s predicting a big change in the 49ers’ wide receiver room.
This time, Jeremiah has San Francisco using the No. 31 overall pick on Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. He had the 49ers take Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson in his previous mock drafts.
“This is my favorite matchup in the first round,” Jeremiah said of Worthy and the 49ers. “We saw what Tank Dell did in a similar offensive system with Houston, and we know what Mike McDaniel was able to build with so much speed at receiver in Miami. Worthy gives Kyle Shanahan a similar weapon.
Worthy honestly embodies the phrase “speed kills.” The 20-year-old set a new NFL Scouting Combine 40-yard dash record on March 2 with a time of 4.21 seconds.
Worthy finished his 39-game Longhorn career with 197 receptions for 2,755 yards and 26 touchdowns, and is a force in the open field.
Sure, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy would love another weapon. But it’s hard to imagine that the selection could potentially spell the end of Brandon Aiyuk’s tenure with the 49ers.
Since Aiyuk has not yet received the contract extension he wants from the 49ers, the sides could find a trade partner on draft night to avoid carrying their dilemma into training camp.
Nevertheless, Worthy would be an exciting addition to an already stacked 49ers offense with Pro Bowl selections Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Kyle Juszczyk, Purdy and possibly Aiyuk.
If Jeremiah is right, the 49ers would select a wideout in the first round for the first time since 2020, when they, of course, drafted Aiyuk out of Arizona State.
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