The San Francisco 49ers could very well find themselves in the market for a wide receiver early in the 2024 NFL Draft.
A lot of this will depend on what the defending NFC Champions opt to do with star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Rumors are pointing in the direction of San Francisco trading Aiyuk rather than paying him a huge long-term contract. The star receiver is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract and wants to be paid like one of the best receivers in the game.
For San Francisco, trading Aiyuk wouldn’t necessarily be an exception to the rule. It was following the 2019 season that general manager John Lynch and Co. traded defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts. He, too, was entering the final year of his rookie contract.
In turn, the 49ers picked fellow defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the selection they acquired for Buckner.
While trading Aiyuk would be a bitter pill for the 49ers and their fans to swallow, the financial complexities in today’s NFL salary cap era makes it a more than reasonable possibility. The good news here is that the 2024 NFL Draft is absolutely loaded at wide receiver.
Below, we check in on five wide receivers 49ers fans should be paying attention to during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis starting next week.
Related: 2024 NFL mock draft
Malik Nabers, LSU Tigers
Nabers will not be available with the 49ers’ first-round pick (31st overall). But there is a scenario that San Francisco packages the pick it acquires in a hypothetical Aiyuk trade with this selection and other draft capital to move up for the 6-foot wide receiver.
Nabers caught 89 passes for 1,569 yards with 14 touchdowns for the Tigers a season ago. He’s an absolutely perfect fit in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system in that Nabers is electric with the ball in his hands. It’s similar to what we saw from Aiyuk during his breakout 2023 campaign. We know how much San Francisco likes to rely on yards after the catch. Nabers was clutch for reigning Heisman winner Jayden Daniels and LSU in that regard a season ago.
Related: 4 ideal trade scenarios for San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk
Keon Coleman, Florida State Seminoles
Coleman wouldn’t necessarily be a replacement for Aiyuk. Rather, San Francisco would likely have to look at the NFL free agent market in that regard. Gabe Davis of the Buffalo Bills makes sense.
Instead, this former Florida State star would end up replacing slot guy Jauan Jennings long term. At 6-foot-4, he’s an absolute load of a target. He has plus-level explosion for someone his size with elite yards-after-the-catch ability. Coleman would be a great red-zone target. We’re intrigued to see how Coleman performs during the 40-yard dash and three-cone drill during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Related: Updated NFL Draft rumors
Xavier Worthy, Texas Longhorns
Unlike Coleman, Worthy would likely come in to fill Aiyuk’s role. At the very least, a bit down the road. Seen as an early second-round prospect, the 6-foot-1 wide receiver was impactful for the Longhorns as a junior last season. He caught 75 passes for 1,014 yards with five touchdowns. In fact, Worthy scored 26 touchdowns in 39 career games in Austin.
What makes Worthy such an intriguing prospect for San Francisco is his ability to get off the line in an explosive manner. It’s one thing that has defined Aiyuk’s tenure with the 49ers. That is to say, providing an immediate window for the quarterback to throw through. We’re mostly intrigued to see what Worthy’s frame looks like at the combine. He’s seen as light and lean. There were also issues with drops in Texas. The ball skills he displays in Indianapolis will be big in the evaluation process.
Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
In some ways, the NFL Scouting Combine is a time for the casual fan to see what small-school products can offer. Seen as a late second-round pick, Corley also has an opportunity to impress teams at the annual event. He was uber impressive over the past three seasons with the Hilltoppers, recording 253 receptions with a whopping 29 touchdowns.
The biggest thing to look at as it relates to Corely is his route tree. It was limited at Western Kentucky. Position-specific drills will be key for him. That’s especially true when looking at NFL-level routes, not just bubble screens and crossers.
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Brenden Rice, USC Trojans
This one is a bit obvious for San Francisco 49ers fans. The son of the legendary Jerry Rice, this youngster has impressed during the pre-draft process. He now has an opportunity to prove himself to San Francisco’s brass and other teams during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Seen as a likely early Day 3 pick, his hands and potential as a boundary receiver is going to intrigue a ton of teams. He has a strong frame and physicality to hold up at the line in the NFL. Rice is also a willing blocker. It’s something that the 49ers obvious value in their receivers. We’re most intrigued to see him run pro-level routes in Indianapolis. It’s something Rice struggled with at USC.