© Mark J. Rebilas | 2020 Feb 2
In need of a wide receiver, the 49ers find themselves with the 13th pick in one of the strongest WR drafts in recent memory. The question is, who will they take?
The consensus top three — Jerry Jeudy (Alabama), Henry Ruggs III (Alabama), CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma) — could all be available, and according to Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, they will be.
Cole Cubelic of the SEC Network spent a ton of time watching all three, and broke down who he believes would fit best in Kyle Shanahan’s offense when he joined Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks on Monday. While Kiper sees Jeudy as the best fit, Cubelic believes his college teammate, the speedy Ruggs, will be more enticing to Shanahan.
“You guys saw that run game up close and personal,” Cubelic said. “You understand how diverse it is, you understand how complex it is, how successful it is. Therefore, a lot more of your offense is going based on play action which is going to give you opportunities down the field. Now some of those are going to be on crossing routes — you’re going to get (George) Kittle involved underneath, Kittle involved outside — play action benefits you as well out there when you’re moving the pocket some, but you’re going to get shots.
“That tells me that Ruggs might be the guy, because he’s going to be able to run past everybody. Not that Lamb and Jeudy can’t necessarily stretch the field and get open, but Ruggs has next level ability to stretch the field. I mean we’re talking legit track speed.
“I think Jerry Jeudy is the best route runner, the best pass catcher of that group. And since you already have a Deebo Samuel who can move around and is probably going to make his living inside a little bit more, I would think Jeudy may be the best fit for what you already have on your roster, because he gives you an outside threat.
“I think CeeDee Lamb is explosive. I think he’s good. I don’t think he has the ball skills that Jerry Jeudy does, and I don’t think he runs as well as Ruggs does. If he’s the one that happens to fall to you, I don’t think you necessarily think you are going wrong by taking a CeeDee Lamb, but I do think in that offense the other two options may be a little better for what San Francisco wants to do.”
Listen to the interview below.
