Getty Chris Conley gets upended during his August 11, 2017 preseason game against the 49ers
Turns out Laquon Treadwell wasn’t the only veteran wide receiver who swung by the San Francisco 49ers.
Per NFL insider Field Yates of ESPN on Friday, April 14, the 49ers hosted veteran free agent wide receiver Chris Conley. The 30-year-old was last seen with the Tennessee Titans.
The 49ers hosted WRs Laquon Treadwell and Chris Conley on free agent visits.
Conley Was Towering Option Best Known for Speed
Conley first grabbed the attention of NFL scouts and teams with what he could do in a straight line and 40 yards of green in front of him.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound wideout from the University of Georgia blazed his 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds. While he had the straight line speed, nfl.com draft expert Lance Zierlein was additionally pleased with another aspect of his wheels.
“Smooth in his routes and lulls cornerbacks to sleep before hitting sneaky second gear to gain separation over the top,” was one of the first strengths Zierlein discovered. He also included how Conley “accelerates through deep balls” and “does a good job of stemming routes.” But at the time, Conley wasn’t considered the most polished of route runners and relied more on speed.
Conley Now Searching for 5th NFL Home
Conley has had his troubles fighting for playing time and also starting an entire season since his arrival as a third rounder — which includes battling an ACL tear and ankle ailment in his career.
He was limited to five starts with the team that drafted him, the Kansas City Chiefs, in his rookie year of 2015. He ended up with 17 receptions for 199 yards and one touchdown. His numbers saw an elevation his second season — 44 receptions and 530 yards through 11 starts. But his production dropped in year three: 11 catches for 175 yards in only five starts. His final season in K.C. witnessed 32 receptions 334 yards and scoring his most touchdowns with the Chiefs at five.
Conley then trekked his way to the Jacksonville Jaguars — where he produced career-bests of 47 catches, 775 yards and tied his previous best touchdown mark of five. He also started in a career-best 14 games. In his final season with the Jags he hauled in 40 grabs for 471 yards and found the end zone twice.
From 2021 to 2022, he remained in the AFC South but had stints with the Houston Texans and the Titans. His 2019 numbers saw low production with 22 catches, 323 yards and two touchdowns. He was then picked up by the Titans after an October 2022 waive and caught four passes for 46 yards.
49ers Also Had Pre-Draft Visitor in ‘Underrated’ CB
Meanwhile, the 49ers got the chance to meet with who has been described as an “underrated” and a “big bodied cover man:” Lance Boykin of Coastal Carolina, who was hosted on a pre-draft visit per Justin Melo of The Draft Network on Thursday, April 13.
.@CoastalFootball CB Lance Boykin is underrated. Boykin had 10 PBUs + 2 INTs in 2022. Versatile enough to play Safety + ST.
@LanceB_1 met w/ 32 teams informally at Combine/@ShrineBowl. Boykin had Formal w. #49ers, recent virtuals w/ #Bengals + #Raiders.
t.co/XRNu5nmZki
Boykin is an intriguing prospect who brings towering height at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds. He delivered his best ballhawk production for the Sun Belt Conference powerhouse by snatching two interceptions in his two seasons with the Chanticleers. He originally got his CFB start with Old Dominion, where he picked off two passes in 18 games played.
Boykin was described as a “long-legged, linear cornerback with the size and length to disrupt the catch point” by Zierlein. However, Zierlein saw lapses in his short area twitch and overall athleticism in staying attached to wide receivers off speed. But his size, hands and leaping ability makes him attractable to NFL teams.