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January 11, 2007

Believing in receiving

Question: Hey Matt, I love your work. I know we need help on D, and we should grab top-tier free agents on D, no matter what position they play. We need help everywhere. But I think we need help at the receiver position also. Battle is a great number three guy, and Bryant is better at number two. Who is a big-time receiver we could realistically get this offseason, either via trade or free agency?

- Ross, Sacramento

Answer: Hi, Ross. The 49ers love Calvin Johnson, the Georgia Tech receiver who recently declared himself eligible for the draft. He's huge, fast and has fantastic hands. The only problem - he'll be gone by the time the 49ers are on the clock, possibly to the Raiders with the No. 1 pick. After Johnson, there's USC's Dwayne Jarrett, who had a great game in the Rose Bowl. Scouts, however, are skeptical as to whether he will be able to separate from defensive backs on the next level. His 40 time at next month's combine will play a big part in Jarrett's draft slot. Another intriguing possibility is Jerry Porter, who stagnated on the Raiders sideline last season. A Porter-Bryant combination could be dazzling on the field; destructive off it.

- Matt Barrows

Posted by Bob Rudy at 11:33 PM | Comments |