ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. provided a number of prospects who are potential fits with the San Francisco 49ers during a conference call on Wednesday.
In particular, Kiper tabbed wide receivers and pass-rushers who may still be available for the 49ers in the second round at pick No. 36.
Starting with the pass-catchers, Kiper mentioned three top-tier prospects who may drop into the second round if teams aren't looking for wide receivers in the first round.
"Josh Doctson from TCU is a borderline first-round pick," Kiper started down his Rolodex. "Will Fuller, Notre Dame, is another borderline first-round pick. Corey Coleman from Baylor, again, a borderline first-round pick."
Doctson caught 78 passes for the Horned Frogs in 2015 for 1,326 yards and 14 touchdowns. Doctson also impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 41-inch vertical jump.
Fuller put up similar numbers with 1,258 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns for Notre Dame. The former Fighting Irish star ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any receiver at this year's combine at 4.32 seconds.
Coleman put up the best numbers of the group in Baylor's high-powered offense: 74 catches, 1,363 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. Coleman posted a 40.5-inch vertical but opted not to run the 40 until his pro day.
If Doctson, Fuller and Coleman are all off the board by pick No. 36, Kiper named a certain Oklahoma receiver that would be a solid option for the 49ers.
"Sterling Shepard is a second-round pick, so he would certainly be a guy there that would make sense if the other guys were gone," he said.
Shepard notched his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2015 and scored 11 touchdowns for the Sooners. Like Doctson, Shepard also posted a 41-inch vertical at the combine.
As for the pass-rushers…
"Emmanuel Ogbah from Oklahoma State is a borderline first," Kiper continued to rattle off names. "Kevin Dodd, Clemson, he's a second-round pick. Carl Nassib from Penn State will be there as will Shilique Calhoun from Michigan State."
Ogbah posted back-to-back seasons with double-digit sack totals, including 12.5 in 2015. The former Cowboy also ran the second-fastest 40-time (4.63 seconds) of any defensive lineman at the combine.
Dodd also posted 12.5 sacks last season. There is a debate among analysts over who will be the first Clemson pass-rusher taken in the draft between Dodd and teammate Shaq Lawson.
Nassib led the nation last season with 15.5 sacks and six forced fumbles for the Nittany Lions.
Calhoun is a three-time All-American for Michigan State and set a career high with 10.5 sacks in 2015.
One final name Kiper said to keep an eye on is Boise State's Kamalei Correa. Kiper's ESPN counterpart Todd McShay also name-dropped Correa in his conference call last week. Correa had 19 combined sacks over the last two seasons, and both draft analysts said he'd fit perfectly in a 3-4 defense as an outside linebacker.
Just a reminder: The 49ers run a 3-4 defense.
