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San Francisco 49ers: Safety a Position of Intrigue in the NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

December 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward (25) sacks New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty (9) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
December 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward (25) sacks New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty (9) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Francisco 49ers head towards the 2017 NFL Draft with a number of needs. And adding some help at safety could be one route taken, depending on how the front office views its current crop of players.

If they wanted, the San Francisco 49ers could roll into the 2017 season with incumbent defensive backs Eric Reid and Jimmie Ward holding down their safety position.

But with the NFL Draft kicking off on April 27, and the Niners holding the No. 2 overall pick, this spot could wind up experiencing a good deal of shakeups.

If general manager John Lynch elects to use his first couple of picks elsewhere, it’s probably the following scenario comes into play.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

Ward would move from cornerback to free safety — a move Lynch eluded to, via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

“I think we’re going to do what we think’s best for our team, and Jimmie, I think, provides a unique versatility and we’re going to try to take advantage of that,” Lynch said.

Lynch also expressed the desire to find a free safety like that of the Seattle Seahawks, Earl Thomas.

And then there’s Reid. Entering a contract year, Reid’s play hasn’t quite emulated that of his rookie 2013 season, when he was nominated for the Pro Bowl. But a move to strong safety might wind up being a good change.

It’s a move envisioned by defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

“Yeah, Eric is going to be more of a box safety for sure,” Saleh said, via the team’s website.

But what if San Francisco makes a move, or two, via the NFL Draft?

A Deep NFL Draft Safety Class

This year’s draft provides a lot of worthy options at safety.

Two of the biggest names are Ohio State free safety Malik Hooker and LSU strong safety Jamal Adams.

Hooker and Adams are likely both top-10 picks, and it wouldn’t be a reach at all if the Niners selected either with their first pick.

Mar 5, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes free safety Malik Hooker speaks to the media during the 2017 combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes free safety Malik Hooker speaks to the media during the 2017 combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

If that pick was used on Hooker, he’d be the rangy center-field safety in a Cover 3 scheme.

This would likely mean Ward stays at cornerback, which isn’t exactly a bad idea. Ward was one of the better coverage guys within San Francisco’s secondary last year. And Saleh’s defense will require a lot of one-on-one action.

The same goes if San Francisco picks up Washington free safety Budda Baker, whom the Niners brought in for a pre-draft visit.

Reid would still shift to strong safety, in all likelihood. Yet this would be negated if Adams winds up being the pick.

So if Reid stays put over the top, what happens if Ward ends up being the better fit here?

It’s a possibility laid out by Niner Noise’s Nicholas McGee, who suggested Reid could wind up being the odd man out.

Related Story: Eric Reid the 49ers' Odd Man Out in 2017?

Reid likely walks via free agency this offseason, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see Lynch and Co. make the transition now.

49ers Safety Predictions

So much of what happens at this crucial position under Saleh is based off what the Niners do in the early rounds of the NFL Draft.

It’s why making a prediction is so tough here.

Hooker is a draft favorite, and he would be a seamless fit in what the 49ers are trying to do on defense. If that’s the pick, Ward stays at cornerback and the Niners milk everything they can from Reid’s last season in San Francisco.

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Adams coming to Santa Clara could put Reid’s starting status in jeopardy though, especially if the Niners view Ward as the better free safety option.

Baker may not be a plug-and-play option, at least not his rookie season. Should he wind up being the pick in Round 2 — a strong possibility — he’ll likely marinate on the depth chart for a year while learning the system.

One can see why this group of defensive backs will have a lot on the table entering this season after the draft.

Next: Examining 49ers' Top Options in the 2017 NFL Draft

And considering the role these players will hold, it’s also easy to understand why this position will be of extreme importance.