San Francisco 49ers: Devin Smith a great first round candidate

Coming into 2014, the San Francisco 49ers were thought to have a wealth of weapons for Colin Kaepernick. That wasn’t the case, and many big weapons like Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree could be hitting the road this offseason. That’s why Todd McShay has the 49ers picking a new receiving target.

Devin Smith, a wide receiver from Ohio State, could quickly become best friends with Kaepernick. In 2014 with the Buckeyes, Smith had 33 catches for 931 yards and 12 touchdowns. Yes — 33 catches. That’s an astonishing 2.75 catches per touchdown and 28.2 yards per catch.

That means Smith is a constant deep threat, which is great news for a gunslinger like Kaepernick. That’s what the 49ers lacked the most last season — big plays with a few exceptions such as the lucky catch by Crabtree against New Orleans, Brandon Lloyd’s long scamper against St. Louis, and Kaepernick throwing across his body to Frank Gore against Philadelphia.

There’s a few more connections that make Smith a solid first pick. Smith played with running back Carlos Hyde at Ohio State. With the potential of Frank Gore leaving the 49ers, Hyde would be in position to compete for the lead job at running back. Smith looks at him as a type of role model.

"“It was great seeing him out there,” Smith said in an interview with 49ers.com. “Especially with the maturity that he went through at Ohio State; how better he got from 2012-2013 and bringing it to the 49ers. He really showed the guys that he could play at the next level.”"

Another quality trait that Smith would bring to the 49ers? He shines on the big stage. The receiver had his best outing in the Big Ten Championship, where Ohio State walloped Wisconsin 59-0. Smith had season highs of 137 yards and three touchdowns on just four catches.

In the first ever College Football Playoff, he aided his team with three catches for 132 yards and a touchdown in both games. Yes, that’s an average of 44 yards per catch. Smith caught the touchdown against Alabama early in the third quarter to give the Buckeyes a 27-21 lead. They never lost the lead again.

"“It was unbelievable,” Smith said, “just being out there and being with your teammates that you went through everything with. With the type of season that we had and the adversity that we went through, the camaraderie that we had between us just clicked so well. Just to cap it off with a national championship — you couldn’t ask for anything more.”"

Jan 12, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Devin Smith (9) warms up before the game against the Oregon Ducks in the 2015 CFP National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Winning it all at the collegiate level is great, but is Smith ready to take the next step in the NFL? He seems pretty confident. Reading defenses and adapting to a new system will be tough, but he’s ready to learn when he walks right through the door.

"“[What I need to work on is] being able to read defenses and learn a whole different system as quickly as possible,” Smith said. “That’s one of the main things that the coaches and scouts have said to me and I believe it. It’s something that I’ve worked on throughout my entire career, and I’m going to keep growing and growing as a football player.”"

One caveat is the success of wide receivers that the 49ers have picked in the first round. Crabtree had his moments since being picked in 2009, but he never lived up to the hype as a 10th overall pick. A.J. Jenkins was the latest receiver picked back in 2012, and he was barely active during his quick tenure with the 49ers. He didn’t record an NFL catch until 511 days after being drafted with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Then there’s Rashaun Woods from Oklahoma State in 2004. I’ll give those people a tip looking up that name and trying to figure out who he was — stop.

However, Smith has a lot of upside. He’s an ideal candidate for what Kaepernick needs as a target, he’s been on big stages and delivered, and he seems like a motivated player that wants to succeed at the next level. If the 49ers go wide receiver in the first round and Smith is still on the board, it could be a match made in heaven.

Next: 49ers are looking for a backup QB

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