The 49ers used one of their three fourth-round picks on a wide receiver from the University of Arizona. Cowing ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, but his numbers from his final season with the Wildcats suggest that he was more of a possession receiver than a player who stretches the field.
Ninety catches for under 900 yards but 13 touchdowns, with most of those coming inside of the red zone. His profile doesn’t fit the mold of your typical 5’11, 175-pound receiver. It’ll be interesting to see what role Kyle Shanahan believes is best for Cowing.
NFL Draft analyst Greg Cosell spoke about Cowing’s time at UTEP when he was used “totally differently” than he was at Arizona:
“At Arizona, he became a short to intermediate receiver that every once in a while might run vertical.