Getty George Kittle celebrates with Jerry Rice after beating Dallas on January 22, 2023 in Santa Clara.
The list of potential tight end options for the San Francisco 49ers for the final week of April has added one more on the draft board.
Per 49ers insider of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat Jack Hammer on Friday, April 7, the 49ers held a top 30 visit with Toledo tight end Jamal Turner.
Turner is not only a former college football teammate of 2022 late round 49ers draft find Samuel Womack, but is heading to the NFL having a late spurt in his final two collegiate seasons — which saw him tally a combined nine touchdowns after scoring zero in his first three CFB campaigns.
Turner Compares Himself to 2-Game Starter From AFC Playoff Team
The 6-foot-6, 245-pound option is entering the league delivering his best CFB season in 2022. Turner hauled in 29 catches for 378 yards but scored eight touchdowns for the Rockets. He went on to deliver eight games of scoring a touchdown. He additionally had six games of catching three to four receptions.
Turner also benefitted from a more wide-open aerial attack Toledo ran in his final season there. Across four seasons he only caught 17 passes until his 2022 campaign. He became involved in an offense that ended with 56 touchdowns and averaged 402.2 yards per game.
There are prospects who tend to shy from comparing themselves to others in the league, as they seek to be their own person. However, Turner in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s NFL Draft expert Bob Marchionte gave himself this unique comparison: He paired himself with two-game starter from the Baltimore Ravens Isaiah Likely.
“I compare myself to Isaiah Likely,” Turner said on March 20. “We are kind of like the same size and route running ability.”
Likely went from Coastal Carolina, to fourth round find in the 2022 NFL Draft to hauling in 36 catches for 373 yards and scoring three touchdowns for the AFC playoff team of last season.
Turner has Met With 49ers Before
This now marks the second time the Niners have met with Turner, as their first meeting was on February 10 per Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network, which he described as a meeting that went “extensively.”
Deep crop of TEs this spring — here’s a few more to know.
• Jamal Turner (Toledo)
Has met extensively with Lions/49ers during process. 6-6, 245 RZ threat.
• Griffin Hebert (LA Tech)
++ athlete, expecting to run low 4.5s, 40+ vert, bulking up to 240.
However, his top 30 visit now solidifies Turner becoming one of the few prospects who have held multiple meetings with the 49ers — which is often the indicator that the prospect is on the short list of their position ranking for the upcoming NFL Draft.
Tight end has become a trendy need for the 49ers even with George Kittle showing he’s in the prime of his career with back-to-back Pro Bowls. Kittle, though, is nearing his 30s and the 49ers are now in a situation where they can draft some help in the TE room with “The People’s Tight End.”
Turner isn’t the only prospect in his position group to meet with 49ers officials. Via NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero on Thursday, April 6, Alabama TE Cameron Latu had a visit with the Niners. He’s heading to the draft as the school’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns for a tight end.
Meanwhile, Zack Kuntz of Old Dominion revealed to Melo on Tuesday, April 4 that he spoke with the 49ers.
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49ers Visited Towering Option With 9 TDs in Last 2 Seasons: Report