In the wild-card round of the 2025 NFL playoffs, the San Francisco 49ers pulled off an upset against the Philadelphia Eagles to advance to the next round.
Despite their success, the team still has a few holes, mainly at the wide receiver position due to Brandon Aiyuk’s absence. However, the team is predicted to select his replacement in the 2026 NFL Draft.
49ers Predicted to Select a Versatile Receiver in 2026 NFL Draft
In a mock draft by PFSN’s Jacob Infante, the 49ers are predicted to select wide receiver Denzel Boston from the University of Washington with the 27th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. According to Infante, Boston — a 6’4″, 209-pound receiver — is a reliable target with some of the best hands and physicality in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
“He has impressive ball skills and coordination to high-point the ball and square up to it properly. As a route runner, Boston uses his hands well through his stems and can attack leverage points by adjusting his footwork to exploit a cornerback’s blind spot,” Infante wrote.
Infante said Boston would be a logical fit for the 49ers, noting that Brandon Aiyuk appears likely to leave the organization and Jauan Jennings is a free agent this year. With the possibility of losing Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams in consecutive offseasons, Infante added, the team will need an infusion of talent at the position to complement George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey in the passing game.
This college football season, Boston ranked as the 50th-best receiver in PFSN’s College Football WR Impact Metric with an impact score of 79.5 and a letter grade of C+. In 12 games this season, Boston caught 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 73.4 receiving yards per game.
Throughout his entire college career, Boston has played in 43 games. In those games, he’s recorded 132 receptions for 1,781 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. Additionally, he rushed for a touchdown in his freshman season.
Despite Aiyuk’s yearlong absence, the 49ers ranked fourth in the league in PFSN’s NFL WR Impact Metric with an impact score of 85.2 and a letter grade of B.
In the same metric, the 49ers’ highest-rated receiver was Rickey Pearsall, who finished with an impact score of 81.5 and a letter grade of B-, which ranked him 19th in the league. In only nine games, he caught 36 passes for 528 yards and no touchdowns.
Following Pearsall was Kendrick Bourne, who ranked 62nd with an impact score of 72.8 and a letter grade of C-. Next was Jauan Jennings, who ranked 77th with an impact score of 71.1 and a letter grade of C-. Last was Demarcus Robinson, who finished with an impact score of 69.4 and a letter grade of D+.
Despite being one of the best offenses in the league, adding another wide receiver to the team could make it an even bigger threat than it already is. Boston has the opportunity to do that and is undoubtedly in play as the 49ers’ first-round pick.