2016 NFL Draft: Assessing San Francisco 49ers’ Best Round 1 Options
By Peter Panacy
Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida
49ers fans may riot if general manager Trent Baalke selects yet another defensive back in Round 1 after taking safety Eric Reid and nickel corner Jimmie Ward in 2013 and 2014, respectively. But tabbing cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III out of Florida may not be a bad first-round selection.
At 5’11” and 199 pounds, Hargreaves may not possess the idea size for a big-bodied corner to match up against some of the bigger receivers the 49ers will face this upcoming season.
Yet his coverage skills are top notch, and he’s shown the ability to be a ball hawk with 10 interceptions over three seasons with the Gators.
He also posted 27 passes defended during that stretch.
STRENGTHS: It is hard not to gush about Hargreaves as he combines quickness, balance and route-recognition to excel in coverage with rare physicality and open-field tackling ability to be just as effective in run support and when blitzing off the corner. He possesses good size for the position with a compact, athletic frame.
When lining up in press man coverage, Hargreaves gets a stiff initial punch in on the receiver at the snap and shows good balance and light feet dropping into coverage, fluidly changing direction and the acceleration to remain in the hip pocket of receivers. He’s equally effective in off coverage, reading the quarterback’s eyes and breaking quickly downhill to disrupt passes.
WEAKNESSES: An inch or two shorter than scouts would prefer. Hargreaves can get himself in trouble by attacking ballcarriers too high, clawing at the football while ‘rassling opponents to the ground rather than wrapping up and driving them to the turf. He also takes such aggressive angles in pursuit that he can be forced to lunge at ballcarriers, occasionally missing as he swipes at their legs.
Why He Fits:
All signs point to cornerback Tramaine Brock assuming the No. 1 spot on the depth chart in 2016. But the Niners lack a true shutdown corner opposite Brock, and none of the young and developing defensive backs on San Francisco’s roster have separated themselves to secure it.
Hargreaves also looks solid in zone coverage, which would likely fit what defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil does with the secondary on frequent occasions.
Corners like Kenneth Acker, Dontae Johnson and Keith Reaser could eventually reach that point. But the keyword here is could.
Why He Doesn’t:
San Francisco has plenty of depth at cornerback given the team’s stockpiling of defensive backs over the last few seasons.
Young D-backs tend to struggle in adjustment early in their pro careers — see nickel corner Jimmie Ward — which may lend belief to a player like Acker, Johnson or Reaser taking big steps in 2016.
Selecting Hargreaves would cut down on their playing time and potentially hinder any developments.
Next: LB Jaylon Smith