Indiana’s wide receiver duo is already putting itself on the 49ers’ radar.
After Week 1 of the college football season, Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh look like names San Francisco fans should start tracking now, especially with the 2027 NFL Draft in mind. The 49ers have no shortage of receiver concerns at the moment, with 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall out for the season and Mike Evans, DeZhaun Stribling, and Christian Kirk all dealing with injuries. The talent is there, but availability is the issue, and if that keeps up, San Francisco will have to address the position next April.
That makes Indiana’s pair worth watching closely all season long.
Becker wasted little time making his case in the opener. The six-foot-four, 209-pound junior led Indiana with four catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns, and he came through on both of his contested targets.
He’s viewed as one of the top five receivers in the country for good reason. Becker brings vertical juice, instant acceleration, and the kind of hands that make him dangerous downfield.
He can stack a defender in a hurry, then either keep climbing the route or settle into space for his quarterback. Even when a corner stays attached, Becker has shown he can win at the catch point, with 15 of his 17 contested catches going his way in his career.
What makes him even more intriguing is how he’s already built on last season’s momentum. Though he played behind two NFL draft picks in 2025, Becker found a major role in the College Football Playoffs and has carried that into this year.
He’s now the top option for Josh Hoover, and he’s already in first-round conversations. That stock could keep climbing if this start is any indication.
Marsh’s debut wasn’t as productive on paper, but it still showed plenty. He finished with two receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown, and the highlight came on a one-handed scoring grab with a defender all over his shoulder. That play said a lot about what he brings to the table.
At six-foot-three and 213 pounds, Marsh has the size and physical edge to matter in Kurt Cignetti’s offense, but he’s more than just a big body. He has solid deep speed, better route craft than you’d expect for his frame, and a clean way of separating through breaks.
He knows how to work a defender’s leverage, and once the ball is in his hands, he can turn into a wrecking ball. Short catches can become long gains fast.
There’s still room for his role to grow as the season moves on. Marsh is building chemistry with transfer quarterback Hoover and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, and that takes time. But if Week 1 was the opening note, his name figures to come up a lot more before long.
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