Well, this would add an interesting twist to what has been a busy offseason. 49ers offseason, one that could become even more eventful in the next few weeks. Yes, there's a chance that the 49ers will bring together star Christian McCaffrey with his younger brother, Luke McCaffrey, in next month’s NFL draft.
Christian McCaffrey, of course, famously chose to be a running back instead of following in the footsteps of his father, the legendary Broncos receiver Ed McCaffrey—to pathway, Luke McCaffrey followed dad’s footsteps but in a way.
Luke began his college career at Nebraska as a quarterback. He later transferred to Rice and, after 20 games as a quarterback, switched back to being a receiver for the last two years. Last season, he had a strong performance, accumulating 992 yards on 71 catches and making 13 touchdowns.
Now, he's projected to be a mid-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. On NFL.com, analyst Chad Reuter predicts that the 49ers will use their third-round pick (No. 94 overall) to acquire McCaffrey and pair him with his older brother.
Luke McCaffrey Performed Well at Combine
Luke McCaffrey ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the NFL’s draft combine last month, which placed him 19thth among all receivers at the event. He had a production score of 73, according to the NFL’s NextGen stats, which ranked him 14thth among receivers, and an athleticism score of 77, which placed 25th.th.
Luke is relatively new to the receiver position, but his father was a 13-year veteran (including one season with the 49ers) and former Pro Bowler with John Elway in Denver, who recorded three straight 1,000-yard seasons.
From the NFL.com scouting report:
“Big slot target who comes from high-end NFL bloodlines and who showed noticeable improvement in his second season at the position. … He catches with soft hands, great focus and extreme toughness. McCaffrey struggles to release and bypass press coverage and might not have enough separation quickness or top-end speed to uncover against NFL defenders.
“However, with additional time to learn the position and fine-tune his route running, McCaffrey might be able to follow his dad and brother into the league as a possession slot receiver.”
The scout, Lance Zierlein, added that Luke McCaffrey is, “Fearless into the teeth of the defense and excels at combat catches.”
Versatility Would Intrigue 49ers
McCaffrey could be an intriguing prospect for a team willing to be patient as he develops his skill in the receiver position. The 49ers have the ability to wait on him, and the fact that his brother is in San Francisco as a mentor has to make the prospect of drafting him all the more tempting.
The 49ers figure to start thinking long-term at the receiver spot soon, especially with the possibility that they won’t be able to hold onto both stars Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk because NFL salary cap restrictions.
They may be able to keep the two together for the short term, but once quarterback Brock Purdy comes off his rookie scale contract and gets big money, they will need other options.
Luke McCaffrey has the versatility that Kyle Shanahan likes. When Luke got to Rice, he focused less on a defined position and more on how he could simply be a football player.
“I eventually reached a point where I allowed myself to just be a football player — I didn’t restrict myself from not playing QB, but I had a discussion with coach (Mike) Bloomgren at Rice, and we discussed the possibility of playing free safety or running back … being a versatile player trying everything,” he said.
“On the first day of spring ball, we decided to start with wide receiver. It turned out to be a lot of fun — I just felt so natural, so unrestricted in doing that. I felt like I could truly be myself.”
