Earlier Wednesday, ESPN's Jeff Darlington reported that Deebo Samuel has requested a trade from the 49ers, indicating a significant difference between the two sides in extension talks.
A source later confirmed that Samuel's trade request came on approximately April 6th, making sense of why Samuel has been "unwilling to engage" in trade talks recently.
Without an immediate resolution, and with the draft just nine days away, how should the 49ers address the receiver position in the draft in light of recent news?
If the 49ers do indeed trade Samuel, they should certainly be in the mix for one of the draft's top receiving options, but that shouldn't hinder them from potentially double-dipping at the position in the later rounds, or even in undrafted free agency.
Should the 49ers look to find a "diamond-in-the-rough", like they've done with undrafted free agent Kendrick Bourne, or seventh-round pick Jauan Jennings, there are certainly a number of options in this draft that could fulfill that desire.
An intriguing candidate is RPI wide receiver Vinnie McDonald, whom the 49ers attended their pro day.
McDonald, who stands 6'4, 215-pounds, has physical similarities to Samuel, and, despite his size, can get in and out of breaks quickly, making him a potential slot option in the NFL.
Last season, McDonald caught 46 passes for 659 yards and an impressive nine touchdowns, despite playing in just nine games, providing the redzone ability that many teams desire in the NFL.
When speaking about dedicated, McDonald fits the word to a tee, as he's currently in the process of running his own business and graduating from graduate school, while also pursuing his NFL dreams.
Originally from New York, McDonald attended RPI after minimal recognition in high school and has continued to balance his football responsibilities with the rigorous academics at the university.
An added element of McDonald's game comes in his leadership; he served as the team's captain in 2021, proving that he could handle the tough responsibility post-COVID on top of his already-heightening workload.
McDonald isn't just an excellent athlete; he's an excellent human being, as he was nominated as his team's AFCA Good Works nominee in 2021, which is an honor that recognizes extra efforts by players and student support staff off the field.
If the 49ers want to find their next gem at the receiver position, McDonald could fit that bill with his unique size and profile, which would provide depth towards the receiver group.