The San Francisco 49ers are expected to target at least one wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft. If they don't address the position with the No. 27 or No. 58 overall pick, they may do so with one of their four fourth-round selections.
One prospect on the 49ers' radar is Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell. The draft hopeful recently told Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo that he met with San Francisco—along with several other teams—via Zoom during the pre-draft process.
"I've also hopped on Zoom meetings with the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, and a bunch of others," Caldwell said.
Caldwell measured 6-foot-5 and 216 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash, recorded a 42-inch vertical jump, and logged an 11-foot-2 broad jump.
Despite adding veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency, the 49ers saw significant turnover at the position. The team lost Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Skyy Moore, and is expected to move on from Brandon Aiyuk, further reinforcing the need for long-term depth.
Caldwell began his collegiate career at Lindenwood, where he played three seasons before transferring to Cincinnati in 2025. During his final year at Lindenwood (2024), he started all 12 games, hauling in 53 receptions for 1,032 yards and 11 touchdowns.
In his lone season with Cincinnati, Caldwell appeared in 13 games, finishing with 32 receptions for 478 yards and six touchdowns.
When asked what an NFL team would be getting in him, Caldwell said, "You're getting a selfless player who approaches every task with passion and attention to detail. I'm eager to learn and get better. I'm going to buy into the system. I'm going to take full advantage of this opportunity."
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