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Luke McCaffrey could help San Francisco 49ers solve problem that denied his brother Super Bowl glory

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Nicholas McGee | Last updated 3/26/24

The San Francisco 49ers have several opportunities to land a player with family connections to the franchise in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Both Jerry Rice and Frank Gore are set to see their sons enter the NFL, with Brenden Rice receiving interest from the 49ers, who hosted him for a top-30 visit.

There is another familiar family name they could add, with Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey poised to join his brother Christian in the NFL.

A family connection

Christian McCaffrey won Offensive Player of the Year in a dominant season for the 49ers in 2023, while their father Ed was part of the last 49ers team to win the Super Bowl in the 1994 season.

This week A to Z Sports’ Crissy Froyd labeled the 49ers as the number one landing spot for Luke McCaffrey, who is likely to hear his name called on day three.

The 49ers, who also have a top-30 visit scheduled with Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley, look to clearly have designs on adding a receiver in the draft, and McCaffrey has one key trait that would likely make him appeal to head coach Kyle Shanahan.

McCaffrey's defining ability

McCaffrey is a versatile receiver who lined up in every position for Rice, he runs his routes with good burst off the line and incorporates impressive stop-start quickness into his approach as a route-runner. After the catch, he has speed in the open field to make big plays, averaging 14 yards per reception in a 2023 season that saw him score 13 touchdowns.

But his defining trait is one he shares with his All-Pro brother, hugely impressive toughness.

Speed runs in the fam ⚡️@CMC_22 | @mccaffrey_luke | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/3wg0WBMqxw
— NFL (@NFL) March 21, 2024

McCaffrey has no fear going over the middle of the field, a pre-requisite for any Shanahan receiver. He is entirely unafraid of contact and shows great focus when catching the ball, consistently hanging on to it even when taking big hits. He can catch balls outside his frame and has demonstrated the ability to attack the ball at its highest point.

His proficiency in this regard is illustrated by a contested catch rate of 60.7% last season that ranked fifth among FBS receivers with at least 100 targets, per Pro Football Focus. Only Rome Odunze and Malik Washington fared better among receivers in the draft.

A lack of fluidity when changing direction as a route runner may give the 49ers pause when considering McCaffrey in the later rounds of the draft, but his prowess for catching the ball in crowded areas is one huge point in his favor.

An ability to make contested catches in the face of tight coverage from the Kansas City Chiefs was a factor in the 49ers’ failure to win Super Bowl 58 despite the best efforts of Christian McCaffrey. There’s plenty of evidence to suggest his younger brother could be a tonic for that.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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