The 49ers have plenty of needs on the defensive side of the ball, but there are a few prospects that might cause them to select an offensive star with the No. 11 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The team traded Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders during the offseason, and Brandon Aiyuk might not be healthy enough to return until well past Week 1. With Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and newcomer Demarcus Robinson on the roster, the 49ers could be eyeing one of the top wideouts with their first-round pick.

It is heavily likely that Colorado receiver and cornerback combo player Travis Hunter will be gone by pick 11, but there are several other options for coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch to help elevate the offense.

Here are four wide receiver prospects that are set to be game-changers in 2025:

Matthew Golden

School: University of Texas
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 191 pounds
Last year completed: Junior
40-yard dash: 4.29
Projected positions: outside or X
2024 stats: 58 receptions for 987 yards, nine touchdowns

Golden is a speedster who could help take the roof off of Shanahan’s offense, stretching the field with his 4.29 speed, making his ranking surge. The 49ers do have Cowing who is nearly as fast, but Golden has slightly more size and is known for his route-running ability.

At No. 11, selecting Golden might be a reach but he has been ranked as high as No. 12 and headed to the Dallas Cowboys by NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah in his latest mock draft, and as low as the Washington Commander’s pick at No. 29 by Bucky Brooks.

Golden is ranked as the fourth wide receiver in the draft and the No. 22 overall prospect by PFF.

Tetairoa McMillian

School: Arizona
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 219 pounds
Last year completed: Junior
40-yard dash: 4.55
Projected positions: outside or X
2024 stats: 84 receptions for 1,319 yards, eight touchdowns

McMillen played all three of his college seasons at the University of Arizona where he became the school’s all-time leader with 3,426 receiving yards. The former Wildcat is a bigger-body receiver, similar to Jauan Jennings, who has the ability to force missed tackles (29 in 2024) and get yards after catch.

Brooks has McMillen mocked to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6, while Jeremiah has the Los Angeles Chargers taking the wideout at No. 22. PFF has the Arizona product as the top wide receiver this season and their No. 3 overall prospect.

Luther Burden

School: University of Missouri
Height: 6-foot-0
Weight: 206 pounds
Last year completed: Junior
40-yard dash: 4.41
Projected position: multi
2024 stats: 61 receptions for 676 yards, six touchdowns

Burden’s best season of his three at Missouri was in 2023 when he racked up 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. A shoulder injury lowered production in his junior season to 61 completions for 676 yards and six touchdowns.

What Lynch and Shanahan might find intriguing about Burden is his ability to line up anywhere across the line, playing every wide receiver position. PFF has Burden ranked as their second-best wide receiver in the draft and their No. 14 overall prospect.

Emeka Egbuka

School: Ohio State
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 202 pounds
Last years completed: Senior
40-yard dash: 4.3
Projected position: slot
2024 stats: 81 receptions for 1,022 yards, 10 touchdowns

Egbuka boasts two 1,000-yard seasons (2022, 2024) over his four years at Ohio State, with a more modest 2023 campaign due to an ankle injury. The Buckeye was slated to be picked at No. 25 to the Houston Texans by Jeremiah but was absent in the analyst’s latest version.

PFF has Egbuka ranked as the No. 3 wide receiver and the 19th-best overall prospect in the draft. His 81 catches on 106 targets for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024 and his ability to repeatedly make contested catches are all that might make him attractive to the 49ers’ scouting department.

While No. 11 might be a reach for the Ohio State product, there is little doubt Egbuka will make an impact where he is drafted.