The 49ers might’ve gotten a steal with their final pick in this year’s draft. They used the 217th overall pick to select Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings – a player Pro Football Focus valued in the third round. His skill set is something 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan should be able to take full advantage of.
It’s easy to see how Jennings was overlooked by the league. He was temporarily dismissed from the Volunteers’ program for a profanity-laced video on social media directed at the team’s coaching staff. Then he didn’t test well with a 4.72 40-yard dash and just a 29-inch vertical leap.
However, his skill set drew a comparison by PFF to former 49ers first-round pick Michael Crabtree. Jennings was the No. 70 player on the football analytics site’s draft board.
While the production and athleticism aren’t great, his after-the-catch ability is likely what stood out to Shanahan. Jennings racked up missed tackles on 51 percent of his receptions– the highest mark in the class, which is especially impressive since Jennings plays in the SEC.
Percentage of catches that a WR forced a missed tackle:
1. Jauan Jennings – 51%
2. Ceedee Lamb – 42%
3. Ja'Marcus Bradley – 38% pic.twitter.com/BsigSZH5c7— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 3, 2020
Shanahan’s offense thrives on receivers who break tackles and generate yards after the catch on short throws, and that’s Jennings’ specialty.
He’s not guaranteed a roster spot as a seventh-round pick. The 49ers receiving corps needs help though, and Jennings has a skill set that should translate quickly in the NFL. If he can convert on third downs and in the red zone as a big, physical target while racking up receiving yards after the catch – Jennings may carve out a big role quickly in his pro career.