There’s a risk that comes with using a fourth-round pick on a punter, but the 49ers appear to have gotten one worth using a mid-round pick on. They took Mitch Wishnowsky out of Utah with the No. 110 overall pick. Early returns from OTAs are extremely positive according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
A punter that goes as early as Wishnowsky did needs to be elite. The performance he put on in front of media during Wednesday’s practice fit that description.
Dropping punts inside the 10, and pinning teams inside their own 5 is a game-changing element on special teams. The 49ers have been among the worst punting teams in the league since Andy Lee’s departure in 2015, and Wishnowsky gives them a chance to reverse that trend.
The ability to flip field position is a key element that often gets overlooked outside of turnovers, but it’s the reason the 49ers selected Wishnowsky instead of addressing some other needs on their roster. It’ll be a noticeable benefit for San Francisco if they get an elite year from Wishnowsky in his rookie season, and in some cases it may be a key difference in some wins.
