The team is widely expected to part ways with Brandon Aiyuk, while Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Skyy Moore are all scheduled to become free agents. If all of those departures occur, the 49ers could end up with very little depth at the position.
Addressing the wide receiver position in the draft could become a necessity. Two recent mock drafts project the 49ers targeting the same player with the No. 27 overall pick: former Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
Cooper (6-0, 204) spent four seasons at Indiana. During his collegiate career, he recorded 115 receptions for 1,798 yards and 22 receiving touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. He also added 97 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, along with 63 kick return yards.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports released his seventh 2026 NFL mock draft and believes Cooper would be an ideal fit in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense.
"We'll see what happens with Jauan Jennings in San Francisco, but Brandon Aiyuk may have played his last snap," Wilson wrote. "As it stands, the WR room includes Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins, and Jacob Cowing under contract … and that's it. There's a need at guard too, but Cooper Jr. feels like a Kyle Shanahan-type receiver."
In 2025, Cooper recorded 69 receptions for 937 yards and a career-high 13 receiving touchdowns, helping Indiana secure a College Football Playoff national championship. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area also recently released a mock draft projecting the 49ers to select Cooper at No. 27.
"Cooper is a darn-near perfect fit with his route-running, body control, and temperament," Maiocco noted.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Cooper posted a 4.42-second 40-yard dash, a 37-inch vertical jump, and a 1.55-second 10-yard split. Interestingly, his skill set has drawn comparisons to former 49ers standout Deebo Samuel.
Projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza praised his former Indiana teammate's skill set.
"The body control he has is crazy," Mendoza said, via Matt Barrows of The Athletic. "He's like a prime Deebo Samuel. … He has great body control, great hands, can play any position on the field. To have him as a receiver that can be a gadget guy, can also take it deep, and also great routes and hands, especially for the quarterback, he helped make me this year."
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Kyle Shanahan reveals what sets the unbeaten 49ers apart in 2026
The San Francisco 49ers have overcome a series of injuries to remain unbeaten through six weeks of the 2026 NFL season. They will look to improve to 7-0 on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons before heading into their bye week. Aside from a second-half struggle Monday night... -
49ers' John Lynch explains why the pass rush has improved in 2026
The San Francisco 49ers recorded an NFL-low 20 sacks in 2025, six fewer than the next-lowest total, posted by the New York Jets. Defensive end Nick Bosa has not played since Week 2 this season, raising concerns that his absence could similarly affect the 49ers' pass rush. Bosa... -
49ers' Brock Purdy Becomes the NFL's All-Time Highest-Rated Passer
With a six yard pass completion to Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy made NFL history Monday night against the Washington Commanders. The play marked his 1,500th career pass attempt, officially qualifying him for the NFL's all-time career passer... -
Kyle Shanahan addresses 49ers' trade outlook ahead of NFL deadline
The San Francisco 49ers continue to be linked to potential trades, and for good reason. At 6-1, they are legitimate contenders, but another injury-plagued season has raised questions about their roster depth. San Francisco could strengthen its roster before the NFL trade...