Should the 49ers select a wide receiver in the first round?
The San Francisco 49ers had a successful season, going 12-5 and winning a playoff game. Their offense was impressive at times. Brock Purdy continued making strides, Christian McCaffrey was the engine that made the offense go, and George Kittle was the heart and soul of the team when healthy. This trio worked well last year, but defenses may start to catch on. This is why it would behoove them to select a wide receiver early in the 2026 NFL Draft. An ideal fit for Kyle Shanahan’s system would be Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion.
The 49ers offense is electric, but lacking talent at wide receiver. Brandon Aiyuk missed the entirety of 2025 and won’t be on the roster next year. Jauan Jennings is reliable, but an unrestricted free agent, and Ricky Pearsall has shown flashes when healthy. It’s necessary that they heavily invest and bolster the group during the draft.
A majority of the 49ers passing attack went through McCaffrey last year. He was sixth in the NFL with an absurd 113 receptions. This worked well, but he has struggled with injuries in the past and shouldn’t be counted on to be the sole option in the passing game.
Because of these factors, KC Concepcion would be a spectacular addition to the 49ers. His calling card is his explosiveness after the catch. He excels when given routes over the middle of the field and he has space to run. He showed flashes of this while at NC State, but developed it into his superpower after transferring to Texas A&M.
Concepcion thrives after the catch, but he isn’t a one-trick pony. He is an underrated route runner who creates consistent separation by using tempo and swiftly accelerating/decelerating in and out of routes. He has a variety of releases he deploys to beat press coverage and understands how to stem a defender to create space. He’s likely a slot or Z receiver in the NFL, but will be an instant impact player.
The biggest issue with Concepcion's game is his hands. They aren’t bad by any means, but he has surpassed a drop percentage of 10% each of the past two seasons. A major reason for this is his lack of focus when he knows he has room to run. Instead of watching the ball fully, he shifts his head and begins plotting his course up the field. This can lead to dynamic plays, but also negative ones.
Overall, KC Concepcion should be an enticing option for the 49ers in the first round of the NFL Draft. His explosiveness after the catch, underrated route running, and San Francisco's need for a wide receiver make him an intriguing luxury option for Kyle Shanahan.