Rookie wide receiver Jacob Cowing providing 49ers with a significant boost ahead of training camp

While the San Francisco 49ers were delighted with what they saw from first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall at OTAs and minicamp, they to this point have seen very little from the other wideout they selected in this year's draft.

San Francisco took Arizona speedster Jacob Cowing in the fourth round, but he spent much of the 49ers' workout program rehabbing off to the side of the practice field.

Yet when he was healthy enough to practice, Cowing received praise from quarterback Brock Purdy.

"He's quick. He's twitchy. I'm impressed with just the way he's acted and interacted with guys," said Purdy.

"Very smart, very respectful, and a guy that I could tell he is going to get after it in terms of knowing what his job is. And as a quarterback, I feel like you're always looking for a guy that you can trust. So yeah, I've seen that so far from him. I'm excited to see what he can do just in terms of taking off the top and running downfield and everything once we get to it. So, I'm really excited to have him."

Still, Cowing's struggles to stay on the field at a very early stage in his NFL career will not have helped his development and his hopes of being a contributor on a stacked offense in his rookie season.

But Cowing has provided a clear indication he should be ready for training camp ( rookies are due to report July 16 before veterans follow a week later), by working out at EXOS Sports.

Cowing has been working out alongside teammates Pearsall and Deebo Samuel, along with Carolina Panthers rookie receiver Xavier Legette.

While Cowing is set to be way down the pecking order on the 49er wide receiver depth chart, his 4.3 speed can, as Purdy outlined, be a huge asset to the offense. It also makes him a viable candidate to be involved in the return game on special teams as a rookie, and Cowing has already set his sights on becoming the first San Francisco player to return a punt for a touchdown since Ted Ginn Jr. in 2011.

The 49ers haven't had a receiver with Cowing's level of speed since Marquise Goodwin in 2019, but it's unclear how San Francisco will be able to harness it in 2024. Seemingly on track to be ready for camp, Cowing can give the Niners a much better idea when they return to practice this month.

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