NFL Draft Vault: Rashaun Woods, WR, San Francisco 49ers
His predecessors left large shoes to fill. The illustrious career of Jerry Rice paved a path for Terrell Owens who left the door open for a young receiver out of Oklahoma State. A young receiver that produced heavily in college only to hit the wall hard at the professional level.
The 2004 NFL Draft presented an opportunity for the 49ers. An opportunity to close a chapter for Owens as his Niners career ended quite sour. With Owens in Philadelphia playing pitch-and-catch with Donovan McNabb, the Niners decided to select his heir apparent. So they look to Rashaun Woods. As the sixth and last receiver taken in the first round of the draft, Woods had a resume’ that was able to hold its own against a number of receivers taken in that draft.
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His collegiate career at Oklahoma State placed him as the eighth wide receiver in NCAA D-1 history to post three 1,000 yard seasons. From 2001-2003, Woods posted at least 77 catches and 1,023 yards and ten touchdowns in each of the three seasons. His 2002 season was his stand-out season where he totaled 107 catches for 1,695 yards and 17 touchdowns as well as walking away with All-America honors that same season. To this day, Woods is tied for seventh all-time in receiving touchdowns in NCAA history and second in receiving touchdowns in Big 12 history.
So you can see why then-49ers head coach Dennis Erickson would be on board with taking Woods with the plan to make him as the lead receiver. At 6-2, 205 pounds and 23 years young, Woods appeared to be ready for the NFL level. At least, that’s what Erickson and the 49ers front office assumed as well.
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The fact that Woods was given the jersey number 81 was the final sign that the team has completely moved on from Owens but it also cranked up the pressure for a rookie receiver to come in and at the least duplicate the amount of work that Owens produced in San Francisco.
Asking for a rookie to produce is easier said than done. Especially for a team with little assets on offense outside of WR Brandon Lloyd, TE Eric Johnson, and RB Kevan Barlow. Even with that said, the start that Woods got off to was horrid to say the least. Four games into the season, 10 targets and only two catches. Woods didn’t get his third catch of the season until week nine. In week ten, Woods got one target which gave him a grand total of 13 by that point. Again, Woods was a rookie yet, #81 was expected to do a little more than what he has done.
By the time the season concluded, Woods garnered a “stellar” seven catches for 160 yards and one touchdown. Underwhelming.
The 2005 season was a no-go for Woods as he tore ligaments in his thumb and missed the entire season. Before you knew it, Woods was traded in April 2006 to the Chargers, who so happened to cut him from the team that following August. Three days after, he was claimed by the Broncos, failed a physical and was released. By that December, Woods had a tryout with the Vikings and came up short.
So what exactly was it that prevented Woods from being a success? Tough to say injuries as the thumb injury was his only significant injury in his short career. Was it the pressure of replacing Terrell Owens as well as wearing his jersey number? Maybe. Was it the lack of talent on the team at the wide-out position? Could be.
Or was this simply a player who passed the eye test at the college level but wasn’t quite ready mentally for the bright lights and the circumstance that was placed before him? Being the man (Woods) to replace the man (Owens) who replaced The Man (Rice), that task isn’t built for everyone.