Why Cornerback Is an Overrated 49ers Need in the NFL Draft
With it being the midst of NFL Draft season, writers and analysts are examining every team’s needs. Here’s why cornerback is an overrated need for the San Francisco 49ers.
Last year, San Francisco was absolutely abysmal on the defensive side of the ball.
There’s no denying that. This roster has many holes and could use numerous upgrades. Why wouldn’t the 49ers want to seek an upgrade at cornerback?
Well, when taking a look at the trainwreck that was the 2016 49ers defense, it was actually the run defense that performed terribly, not the pass defense.
Here’s the pass defense versus the run defense from last season for San Francisco:
| Rk | Tm | G | Cmp | Att | Cmp% | Yds | TD | TD% | Int | Int% | Y/A | AY/A | Y/C | Y/G | Rate | Sk | Yds | NY/A | ANY/A | Sk% | EXP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 322 | 521 | 61.8 | 3848 | 30 | 5.8 | 10 | 1.9 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 12.5 | 240.5 | 96.9 | 33 | 165 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 6.0 | -127.42 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/16/2017.
| Rk | Tm | G | Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | Y/G | EXP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 548 | 2654 | 25 | 4.8 | 165.9 | -18.39 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/16/2017.
As you can see, the rush unit was considerably worse than the pass unit and was the anchor in the team’s poor finish as the 32nd ranked overall defense in the NFL.
The run defense was actually historically bad; I’ve mentioned this in my previous writings. But last season’s squad ended up as the third-worst rush defense in NFL history. Of course injuries somewhat played a factor in this, but the fact remains the rush defense was the root of the 49ers’ struggles last season.
Diving a deep further into the statistics from last season, compared to the rest of the league , the 49ers pass defense held its own just fine. They finished as the 14th-ranked unit and were on par with the league when it came to per-game averages. Per Pro Football Reference:
- Completion percentage: 61.8% – NFL: 63.3%
- Interception percentage: 1.9% – NFL: 2.3%
- Passing yards/game: 240.5 – NFL: 241.5
The San Francisco pass defense is not to blame for last season’s woes, evident with the data available from last year. If that unit can finish as the 14th-ranked pass defense with a legendarily bad rush defense in front of them, imagine what they can do with a front seven that’s at least average.
And that front seven is on the cusp becoming a formidable group, with young defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead both showing promise — which is exactly why the EDGE position should be priority No. 1 in the draft.
More from Niner Noise
- Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
- DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet
- 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
- 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar
- Updated 49ers salary cap space ahead of 2023 NFL Draft
As well as this, the Niners already have options at cornerback. Second-year man Rashard Robinson had a fine rookie campaign that saw him garner praise from football analysts, most notably Pro Football Focus.
Robinson’s 2016 season was so impressive that at one point PFF was declaring him the league’s best rookie cornerback. With Robinson being only 21 years old, there’s no need to draft another young cornerback.
The signing of free agent K’Waun Williams, the presence of cornerback Will Redmond and the versatility of defensive back Jimmie Ward all further cement the case against cornerback being a pressing need for the 49ers. That’s three solid options with Robinson, Williams and Redmond, and Ward has the ability to play cornerback. That’s four options that are viable.
While yes the quality isn’t top-tier, they are all competent options who can contribute. It just doesn’t make sense to address a need that’s not really there.
Next: 2017 NFL Draft: San Francisco 49ers First Round Big Board
With needs elsewhere — such as defensive end, linebacker and wide receiver — the 49ers would be keen to focus their draft focus elsewhere than cornerback.
We’ll see, come next week in Philadelphia.