The 49ers have created a logjam at wide receiver. That position group was already crowded by San Francisco’s selection of Florida WR Ricky Pearsall in Round 1, and it got more crowded at the end of Round 4 when they picked Arizona WR Jacob Cowing with the 135th overall selection.
Cowing will have a chance to compete for a roster spot. He’s undersized at 5-8, 168 pounds, but he has a versatile enough skill set that he should push for snaps as a slot option. In college he has some flashes as a deep threat, but he did a lot of work on routes in the short area of the passing game where he hauled in 39 of 51 targets for 357 yards and six touchdowns.
Gaining separation on short throws is something the 49ers’ wide receiver room lacks, so that’s where Cowing could make his mark as a rookie.
The snaps won’t be easy to come by though with Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel atop the depth chart, and Jauan Jennings and Pearsall likely working as the third and fourth options. Veteran Chris Conley is back in the mix, as are 2022 third-round pick Danny Gray and 2023 seventh-round pick Ronnie Bell. The 49ers also brought back Trent Taylor who will likely be a return specialist if he makes the team.
With question marks beyond 2024 there could be a heavier snap load available in the near future, but there are a lot of players vying for one or two roster spots this year. Cowing will need to have an outstanding camp to prove he can hold down offensive snaps and contribute on special teams if he wants to have some kind of role as a rookie.
