Tre's scouting notebook: Cody Latimer Scouting Report

You may have heard that the 49ers spent time at the Indiana pro-day Wednesday, where among the better prospects on display was WR Cody Latimer. Of course this sends us into a frenzy doing more homework on the guy, especially after he ran a 4.39 40 and jumped 39" in the vertical. It doesn't hurt that he's 6'2" 215lbs., either.

I watched the three games currently available on Draft Breakdown and took some notes. My initial impression was that I could really see the 49ers being interested in this kid. Here's why:

Positives:

Right away you see him engage in blocking on running plays where he doesn't let his man away from him, often times pushing him down field or into the boundary. This will make the 49ers happy.

He's also a natural hands-catcher. He plucks the ball away from his frame, even when he can afford to let it in such as deep passes where he's open the placement is on his hip. He snags the ball out of the air on slant routes and will go over the middle.

I saw him play outside and in the slot, working numerous pass routes. He seems to understand how to run routes vs. zone coverage, too, often getting into the space between the corner and safety, even if his QB doesn't always deliver the ball with the required anticipation/placement.

He's also a good post-up/rebounder type in the red-zone, using his body to shield defenders and go up and get the football. Contested catches are usually his to catch.

Negatives:

Not overly quick/shifty. Has some YAC ability but not nearly as much shake as a guy like Michael Crabtree, though Latimer was used on bubble screens at times, etc. He's been labeled more of a possession receiver, although he gets behind people in man coverage enough that I wouldn't label him as such...but he may struggle to defeat elite NFL coverage at times.

Conclusion:

Though it's only three games, it's hard to find many major flaws in Latimer's game. He's a former basketball player with speed, hands, and willingness to block on the outside. Considering he'll likely be a day-three pick, I'd be ecstatic if the 49ers used a pick on him.