The San Francisco 49ers franchise has been home to some of the best's wideouts to have ever played in the history of the league. These legendary route runners have paved the way for the future generation to follow in their footsteps.

Let's take a look at the players who cracked the top 5 in franchise history.

5. Billy Wilson, 1951-1960

Billy Wilson was one of the players responsible for lighting up the running game back in the '50s. Wilson's career game happened on October 23, 1955, against the Chicago Bears when he recorded eight receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He went on to amass a total of 407 receptions for 5,902 yards and scored 49 TDs as a 49er.

In his 10-year playing career, Wilson was a six-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 1957 first-team All-Pro selection. He is also ranked fifth all-time on the 49ers receiving list. Wilson lost his life on January 2, 2009, to bone cancer.

4. John Taylor, 1987-1997

John Taylor was able to play together with the legendary Jerry Rice for quite some time. The Delaware State College product first came into the league as a special teamer and at one time held the record for the longest punt return in a Super Bowl with 45 yards.

Taylor then made the switch to wide receiver and his career game came on a casual Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams. With the Rams up 17-3 in the second quarter against the then defending champions, JT ran a short route and took it for a 92-yard touchdown reception. Taylor later caught another short pass for another 95-yard touchdown catch. He finished the game accounting for 11 receptions for 286 yards and two touchdowns.

JT was a two-time Pro Bowler and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All 1980s second team.

3. Dwight Clark, 1979-1987

The former Clemson wideout made his name known around the league when he made the catch in the 1981 NFC Championship game. It was against the Dallas Cowboys when he made the play of the game, famously known as the “The Catch,” which catapulted the 49ers dynasty into supremacy.

His career game happened on a Week 14 comeback win back in 1980 against the New Orleans Saints. The 49ers were down 35-7 at halftime but the team managed to crawl back and won 38-35. Clark contributed six receptions for 155 yards and one touchdown. The game against the Saints is hailed by many as the greatest comeback in NFL regular-season history. Clark was a two-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 1982 first-team All-Pro. Clark succumbed to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) on June 4, 2018.

2. Terrell Owens, 1996-2003

Terrell Owens started his legendary career as a diamond in the rough. The 49ers originally drafted UCLA wide receiver J.J. Stokes with the 10th pick of the 1995 NFL Draft. The selection was believed by many to be made to crown longtime fan favorite John Taylor's future heir apparent.

However, when Jerry Rice was injured in Week 1 of the 1997 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was the unheralded Terrell Owens who stepped up big time. The second-year receiver drafted in the third round from little-known Tennessee-Chattanooga, eventually led the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.

Even when Rice returned, TO still showed his dominant self and led the team in receiving touchdowns in which he also had his first 1,000-yard receiving season.

In his eight years with the club, Owens was a four-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame second-team All 2000 team.

1. Jerry Rice, 1985-2000

The Goat stands tall and is head and shoulders above everyone on this list. In the early stages of his career, Rice was already lighting up the league. In only his second year, he recorded 86 receptions for 1,570 yards and 15 touchdowns. The next season, he broke the single-season touchdown record in a shortened 12 games with 22 receiving and one rushing TD. At the end of his career, he accounted for a whopping 1,281 receptions for 19,247 yards and scored 176 receiving touchdowns.

His hardware collection was also second to none. In his 16-year tenure with the 49ers, Rice became a 12-time Pro Bowler, 10-time All-Pro, a member of the 1985 All-Rookie Team, 1980 and 1990 Pro Football Hall of Fame All NFL Team first-team, 1987 and 1993 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year, 1987 NFL PFWA MVP, 1988 Super Bowl XXIII MVP, and ultimately, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.