Deebo Samuel is one of the most versatile weapons in the NFL, so it was no surprise Monday when 49ers general manager John Lynch made it clear he wasn't eager to fulfill Samuel's trade request.
“I can't ever imagine wanting to move on from Deebo," Lynch told local media Monday. "You put yourself through the exercises of, even though we don't have a first-round pick, you have to be thorough in this process and prepare for everything. And so, you go through and do that, and he's just too good of a player. You think of 2019, the 36th pick, to come up with someone like Deebo who, to me, has just been a game-changing player for our franchise."
It seems unlikely the 49ers will trade Samuel. If they do, it likely will come during Thursday's first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Not before. Not after. Should the 49ers trade Samuel for what likely would be a haul of draft picks, they'll have to find a way to fill the void left by the All-Pro "wide back."
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Lynch gushed about the receivers in the 2022 draft class Monday, perhaps showing that one way or another, the 49ers will look to bolster their receiving corps later this week.
"There's a little bit of everything, if you like speed, there's some guys who can flat out get it," Lynch said Monday. "Some of the faster players that have been around since I've been doing this, these guys can fly. And their speed transfers to the football field. Oftentimes you can track guys and it isn't necessarily the case. There's some guys, and it’s so interesting with the GPS readings we get now, you can see it on film, but then it's verified.
"And so, I think there's that. You think of some of the top players in the first round, there's some bigger players who also move extremely well. So, there's slot players that are good players. I do think there's good versatility and there's good depth. And so, there's just a lot of options at the wide receiver class in this draft that it makes it a really good class.”
With Samuel on the roster, the 49ers could still use depth at the position. Without him, they'll need to make up for that now-absent production with multiple bodies.
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If the 49ers trade Samuel, there are receivers they could target both early and late in the 2022 NFL Draft to help them weather the blow. Below are six receivers the 49ers could target if they say goodbye to Samuel.
Jameson Williams, Alabama
Projected round: First
Williams tore his ACL in Alabama's College Football Playoff National Championship Game loss to Georgia, but he said he is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab and expects to be ready to go for training camp.
In a draft that could have as many as seven receivers taken in Round 1, Williams leads the class for me. He's an elite burner with rare acceleration. He understands how to use leverage on deep routes and has the burst to run away from almost anyone.
Williams is a big play waiting to happen. If the 49ers trade Samuel, drafting Williams is a good way to start patching up the hole.
Case in point: This 67-yard touchdown against a Georgia defense with several first- and second-round picks.
Chris Olave, Ohio State
Projected round: Mid-to-late first
Olave is a route-running technician who excels as a downfield threat.
The Ohio State product has high-end acceleration to break away from defenders and will thrive on shallow crossing routes and play-action kill shots.
With the 49ers expected to turn the offense over to Trey Lance, Olave would give them a high-IQ receiver who can create big plays after the catch and play outside and in the slot.
Treylon Burks, Arkansas
Projected round: Late first or early second
One of several receivers to be compared to Samuel, Burks is 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, and he can burn it with the ball in his hands.
Last season at Arkansas, Burks racked up 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns. Burks would be best suited for an offense that can get him the ball quickly so that he can use his big frame and athleticism to break tackles and rack up the yards.
Sound familiar?
Skyy Moore, Western Michigan
Projected round: Second
Even if the 49ers trade Samuel, there's no guarantee they will use a first-round pick they get in return on a wide receiver. So, let's move to the second round.
Moore has elite shiftiness and broke an FBS-record 26 tackles last season. He was a high-volume, big-play threat for the Broncos and would excel as a slot receiver in the NFL where he can use his quickness and agility to create separation and get into open space.
He's still raw, but the 49ers could bet on his ceiling, and I could see him thriving in Kyle Shanahan's offense.
David Bell, Purdue
Projected round: Second or third
We all have players we love in the draft, and Bell is one of my guys.
Purdue did everything they could to get Bell the ball as much as possible, and with good reason. He's a superb route-runner with top-level ball skills and good hands. While he isn't a dynamic athlete, he has shown the ability to break tackles and gain extra yardage. Due to his long stride, Bell would excel in an offense that allows him to operate in space and get upfield.
RELATED: Why 49ers trading Deebo likely would only happen during last second at draft
Bell is going to be a productive wide receiver in the NFL, and there's no telling how high his ceiling will be in the right system.
John Metchie III, Alabama
Projected round: Second or third
Metchie tore his ACL in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia, but that shouldn't hurt his draft stock, and I wouldn't be surprised if he went earlier than expected.
The 5-foot-11, 187-pound receiver is a crisp route-runner with electric speed and start-stop ability. Combine Metchie's athleticism with his talent for breaking tackles, and you have a versatile wide receiver who can turn screens into big gains and be a dynamic vertical threat. It would be easy to see Shanahan being a fan of Metchie, especially if Samuel finds his way out of San Francisco.