This offseason, the 49ers might want to add a third cornerback to their roster.
The San Francisco 49ers are in full offseason mode and the NFL Draft Combine is currently in progress. Multiple stories have surfaced regarding players visiting with the team.
That means it’s time to assess which players, starting with their first pick at No. 31, are the best fits for the club overall.
Although San Francisco has been showing interest in offensive and defensive lines in the first round, there are still a lot of excellent players that could be available, giving the 49ers the chance to select the top player available.
So, could a cornerback be selected by the 49ers at No. 31? Let’s assess the available choices.
CB Kool-Aid McKinistry of Alabama
Quinyon Mitchell and Terrion Arnold, two other cornerbacks, have been gaining ground in the draft process, but McKinstry is my choice for the number one spot in the 2024 NFL Draft.
During his media availability on Thursday, McKinstry verified to me that he is the only CB out of the three who has scheduled an official meeting with the 49ers at the NFL Combine. This is intriguing.
McKinstry is my preferred CB; why?
The Alabama defensive back has demonstrated his ability to play well off-coverage, in man-press, and press-bail, making him the most scheme-independent corner in the class.
At 6’1 and 190 pounds, McKinstry has a strong build and is the perfect outside cornerback. He can use all of those qualities in the 49ers’ system.
Although McKinstry isn’t as fast as his teammates in a straight line, this doesn’t seem to matter much on tape because he’s one of the class’s brightest cornerbacks.
The main problem with McKinstry is that he doesn’t always use his strength to challenge receivers when it’s essential. This could cause him some growing pains in the NFL, but he would be a great outside backer to Charvarius Ward and the team’s future.
With McKinstry, the more important question is how far he’ll fall; it’s anticipated that the cornerback will be selected in the first 20 rounds of the NFL Draft.
Even so, it’s significant that the 49ers, who have primarily selected mid-round cornerbacks, showed some interest in the guy by hosting an official visit with him during the Combine.
Terrion Arnold, a CB from Alabama
Terrion Arnold, who is ranked just behind his Alabama colleague, is my second-choice cornerback in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Given that Arnold is 6’0 and 196 pounds, there isn’t much of a profile difference between the top three cornerbacks in the class, which makes him an intriguing choice.
Of the top three tacklers, Arnold plays with the most aggression, something that teams like the 49ers would undoubtedly desire.
The redshirt sophomore from Alabama is a classic outside cornerback since he has outstanding hips and good long speed, along with an incredibly quick recovery speed.
Alabama occasionally used both of their best corners in the slot, but Arnold struggled there because he had to cover more ground with unreliable footwork.
Additionally, Arnold frequently speeds up his turns when covering in-and-out breaks, which will hurt him in the NFL when facing stronger route runners. Arnold can occasionally be too grabby when it comes to comeback paths, which could cause early difficulties at the next level.
Though he would be better used in a man-coverage role, the defensive back is a solid fit for both zone and man-heavy systems due to his excellent feel for zone coverage and ability to play off his teammates in passing off receivers.
However, unlike his colleague, Arnold is unlikely to finish last in the first round; mock drafts occasionally even have him in the Top 10.
CB Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo
Quinyon Mitchell, the cornerback with possibly the highest ceiling in the class, has surged to prominence in the selection process following a stellar performance at the Senior Bowl.
Mitchell reminds me a lot of Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woollen, even if their physical profiles are different—the former is 6’0 and weighs 196 pounds.
Mitchell was heavily involved in Cover-3 and Cover-4 tactics at Toledo, which typically required him to play more off-ball. But Mitchell looks more suited for a team with a lot of men, as he demonstrated during the Senior Bowl, where he can be sticky in coverage and have excellent speed for the position.
Mitchell showed a propensity to over-backpedal at times, depending too much on his speed to bridge the gap when playing off-coverage. This is one of the reasons he seems more at home in a man-press scheme. Furthermore, Mitchell’s response speed in certain circumstances was occasionally a little bit delayed, giving receivers plenty of room to pass him on several catches.
Mitchell’s best attribute is his ball skills; he excels at attacking the ball, as evidenced by his five interceptions in 2022 and his 37 pass breakups in the previous two seasons.
The cornerback is ideally suited to defend double moves due to his quickness and ability to stay sticky in man-coverage.
Mitchell, all things considered, is my third-best cornerback in the class; nevertheless, he is the most boom-or-bust prospect of the three due to his lack of playing time compared to a man-coverage corner, who should be his primary option in the NFL. However, he has CB1 upside due to his perfect physical profile and mix of qualities.
Like the other two, Mitchell’s chances of staying available well into his 20s look slim given his potential, which makes him an even more implausible choice for the 49ers.
CB Nate Wiggins of Clemson
When considering later choices, Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins seems like a good candidate to assess towards the end of the first round or early in the second.
Wiggins, a 6’2, 185-pound cornerback, is unusual in that he possesses both exceptional ball skills and good length for the position.
But unlike many longer corners, Wiggins isn’t as effective in press coverage because he has trouble with hand battling at the line of scrimmage, which makes it difficult for him to make timely releases.
Therefore, a system like Seattle’s, where press-bail or off-coverage ideas are more common, could be a better fit for him. In this system, Wiggins might demonstrate his intelligence while having more opportunities to contest the ball.
Now, I rate Wiggins in the second round, but considering the 49ers’ preference for press-man corners, I don’t think he’d fit in well with their scheme.
Furthermore, if the 49ers wanted to select the best player available—perhaps one of the class’ finest offensive tackles—or solve a pressing need, there would probably be better prospects available at 31.
Cooper DeJean, CB
One of the most contentious talents in the 2024 NFL Draft is Cooper DeJean, who is projected by a number of experts more as a safety than a cornerback.
Given that DeJean is a superb tackler who regularly takes the proper angles when tackling the football, I can see the explanation.
DeJean also performs well in zone or off coverage, showing good speed as a cover corner in certain circumstances.
DeJean does appear to have a delayed, reactionary initial step at the line of scrimmage, waiting for the receiver to make a move before convergent and staying in lockstep. I don’t think that would be as effective in NFL press coverage against quicker receivers.
DeJean can be a little stiff while breaking out of breaks on backpedals, which gives receivers in front of him a window of opportunity to get off coverage.
DeJean is a tough and intelligent player as well since he has mastered the ability of playing forcefully against receivers without drawing attention to himself. This technique ultimately slows down and deters receivers from their respective routes.
DeJean is a second-round cornerback overall, in my opinion, but given his skill set, the 49ers aren’t a great fit for him.
His reflexes and tackling prowess, however, seem to be better suited for a safety position in the NFL than a cornerback, where his stiffness and lack of fluidity may be overcome.
Return trade?
It seems improbable that the 49ers will pursue a cornerback at No. 31, since the best prospects would probably be unattainable or a reach at that position.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., a cornerback for Missouri who met with the 49ers during the combine but did not take a formal visit, is one possible target; nevertheless, it seems more likely that better players will be available at No. 31 who would fit San Francisco’s roster better.
Nevertheless, when contemplating a trade down, the likelihood that a cornerback ends up being selected changes.
Players like Wiggins, DeJean, Rakestraw, or several other defensive backs might be involved if San Francisco advances into the early or mid-second round, and the 49ers might see an opportunity to acquire more money.
Given that the 49ers already have 11 draft picks, a move up appears more likely than a trade down, but there are no guarantees because there is a lot of unpredictability surrounding the NFL Draft.
Read more news at https://sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply