49ers may be perfect landing spot for intriguing, raw WR prospect

There's a real chance the San Francisco 49ers don't select a wide receiver in Round 1 of this year's draft, but there are still a handful of intriguing prospects projected to go late on Day 2 or on Day 3 who could provide some depth in the receiving corps. One of those prospects, Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell, had a recent virtual meeting with the 49ers.

Caldwell told Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo that he met with San Francisco and a handful of other teams over Zoom during the pre-draft process.

At the combine Caldwell measured in at 6-5, 216 pounds. That's excellent size for a receiver. Then he clocked a 4.31 in the 40-yard dash with a 42-inch vertical leap and put himself firmly on the map after just one lackluster year of FBS football. Prior to joining Cincinnati, Caldwell spent his first four years at Lindenwood University which was a Division-II school when he arrived. They moved to the FCS in his second season.

Caldwell finished last season with 32 receptions for 478 yards and six touchdowns for the Bearcats. In four years at Lindenwood he posted 93 receptions for 1,772 yards and 23 touchdowns in 28 games.

While there may be some issues that push Caldwell down team's boards despite his size and athleticism, San Francisco has a situation that may be perfect for a prospect the Athletic's Dane Brugler says needs a lot of work.

Via the Athletic:

Caldwell is still underdeveloped physically and fundamentally, but he offers rare length and speed, meaning he potentially could grow into a downfield threat. He will require a patient coaching staff that’s willing to invest in his raw talent.

A raw talent doesn't do much to help the 49ers this year, but it could pay dividends long-term since Caldwell would be cutting his teeth in the NFL behind future Hall of Famer Mike Evans. Evans is one of the best deep ball receivers in the history of the sport, and his tutelage could offer Caldwell an opportunity to learn how to best use his physical tools to his advantage.

The 49ers would also be a club where Caldwell wouldn't necessarily need to play right away. Evans, Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk are all atop the depth chart. Veteran Demarcus Robinson and 2025 fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins are also in the mix. They have a ton of options where Caldwell wouldn't be thrust into action and instead could focus on improving as a receiver instead of making an immediate impact.

However, if the 49ers are going to add a wide receiver via the draft they'd likely look for a player who could help right away. They do have a long-term need at the position, though, and taking a swing on Caldwell late in the draft would make a ton of sense whether they select another WR or not.

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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL draft: 49ers, Jeff Caldwell could be perfect match