Could the 49ers double-dip at wide receiver in 2020 NFL Draft?

The San Francisco 49ers have a clear need at wide receiver. In a very deep 2020 NFL Draft at the position, could they use multiple picks to address it?

The San Francisco 49ers had one of the most productive offenses in the NFL last season but, with the 2020 NFL Draft on the horizon, there is no question their passing game is in need of a boost.

After losing Emmanuel Sanders to NFC rivals the New Orleans Saints in free agency, the 49ers look light on reliable options at wide receiver.

With the class at wideout an extremely deep one, and the 49ers — who have picks 13 and 31 — capable of trading back for more picks, it begs the question whether San Francisco might use two selections on the position.

The Niners double-dipped at wide receiver in 2019, selecting Deebo Samuel in the second round before adding Jalen Hurd in the third.

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Samuel quickly developed into an integral part of the 49ers’ offense with his abilities as a pass-catcher and as a runner out of the backfield. However, beyond him and Kendrick Bourne — who has consistently made clutch plays on third down and in the red zone — the Niners lack wideouts they can depend on.

Hurd did not play a snap in his rookie year due to a back injury, while slot receiver Trent Taylor‘s career has been derailed by foot issues. The 49ers spent a second-round pick on Dante Pettis in 2018, but his status on the team has to be considered in jeopardy after a 2019 spent largely in Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse.

Richie James has only 15 catches in two seasons, Travis Benjamin is a free-agent signing whose last productive campaign came in 2017 and Marquise Goodwin is a deep threat who stands out as a potential cap casualty after playing just nine games in 2019.

The overriding opinion is that the 49ers will move to address wide receiver with the 13th overall pick they acquired in the DeForest Buckner trade with the Indianapolis Colts.

Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb and the Alabama duo of Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III all appear to be in the discussion with San Francisco’s first pick. Each of the trio represents a different type of receiver. Lamb is a contested-catch specialist who offers significant upside after the catch. Jeudy wins primarily with his route-running and Ruggs is an incredible downfield weapon who offers 4.27 speed.

Should they pick one of that trio at 13, the depth at receiver in this class is such that the 49ers can ensure they add another type at the position who can start early in their career to complement them.

K.J. Hamler, Devin Duvernay and Quez Watkins are potential field-stretching options the Niners could pick later in the draft should they decide against drafting Ruggs.

Tee Higgins, Isaiah Hodgins and Donovan Peoples-Jones are not prospects on the same level as Lamb, but all have the ability to excel in contested-catch situations on the boundary.

Jeudy’s route-running is considered by many to be the best in the draft but he has plenty of challengers for that distinction, including Van Jefferson and Brandon Aiyuk.

Jefferson and Aiyuk should both be available on day two, the latter having recently undergone core muscle surgery.

The 49ers will naturally hope they can develop the talents they have acquired at the position in previous years. San Francisco may still feel Pettis can be salvaged and the Niners are unlikely to want to give up on Hurd a year after investing a day-two pick to land him.

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Yet they could not have picked a better year to have a need at wideout and it would be no surprise to see the Niners increase their odds of having a receiving corps that can further elevate their offense by doubling up at the position for the second successive year.