Editors Note: NBC Sports Bay Area will preview the NFL Draft with a look at the 49ers’ top needs, profiles of prospects that might be good fits, along with some hidden gems in the later rounds. In this installment, we profile Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb.
Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb might not have the blazing speed of Alabama’s Henry Ruggs or the refined route running of Jerry Jeudy, but he will still make an immediate impact on the team that selects him in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Lamb’s 40-yard dash ranked him tied for just 21st among the wide receiver group at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he’s still no slouch. He has legitimate acceleration with a long stride due to his 6-foot-2 frame.
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Over his three seasons with the Sooners, Lamb amassed 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns, lining up predominantly as a slot receiver. Emmanuel Sanders' departure to the New Orleans Saints in free agency left a void at that position for the 49ers, and Lamb could help coach Kyle Shanahan's offense not skip a beat in 2020.
While Lamb has proven that he can haul in contested catches, he did not face the stoutest defenses playing in the Big 12 Conference. One of the main questions facing the First-Team All American is his potential to succeed against much more formidable cornerbacks and safeties in the NFL.
To combat this transition, Lamb has worked on increasing his strength, putting on nearly 10 pounds following his sophomore season.
Lamb’s ability to gain yards after the catch is something that Shanahan looks for in a skill position player. Like 49ers pass-catchers Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, Lamb is known for forcing missed tackles.
San Francisco 49ers
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Lamb, a Biletnikoff Award finalist, led the Big 12 in yards per catch, with an astounding 21.4 yards per reception in his junior year. That was no fluke. He has a 19-yard per catch average over three seasons.
Many scouts and draft pundits have compared Lamb to Arizona Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins, who the 49ers will face twice in 2020. It might be opportunistic for the 49ers to have a comparable weapon.
NFL draft profile: CeeDee Lamb
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 198 pounds
College: Oklahoma
Career stats: 173 catches for 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns
Combine measurables
40-yard dash: 4.5 seconds (tied for 21st among wide receivers)
Bench Press: 11 reps
Vertical jump: 34.5 inches
Broad jump: 124.0 inches
What experts are saying
Todd McShay, ESPN: "Lamb excels in finding soft spots in zone coverage and has great hands to go make the catch. No receiver in this year's draft class forced as many missed tackles as Lamb did. His ability to stop and start, along with good size, wheels and instincts, helped him post 11.1 yards after the catch in 2019, among the best in the nation."
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Media: "A tall, lean wideout with top-tier hands, toughness and production. A polished player who is equally explosive and reliable."
Josh Norris, NBC Sports: "Lamb’s game is very reminiscent of DeAndre Hopkins. Lamb offers everything you want at the position: size, fluidity in routes to create separation and yards after the catch thanks to broken tackles."
Draft projection: First round (top 15)