Niner Noise’s annual “Who Is?” series on San Francisco 49ers players in 2017 continues with second-year cornerback Prince Charles Iworah and his chances to make the roster this season.
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Prince Charles Iworah has the distinction of being the final player drafted by former Niners general manager Trent Baalke.
Whether or not that distinction is a good one or bad is one thing. But as a seventh-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Iworah’s chances to make a serious impact at the pro level are already slim at best.
Iworah enters his second year on the fringe of San Francisco’s roster. After playing in just one game last season, Iworah will have to prove his worth to a new coaching staff a regime in 2017.

San Francisco 49ers
Easier said than done.
The Niners have already added a sizable crop of defensive backs this offseason, highlighted by free-agent pickup K’Waun Williams and third-round draftee Ahkello Witherspoon.
These, and a number of undrafted free-agent pickups, make Iworah’s hold on a spot precarious at best.
So what should we expect out of the former Western Kentucky prospect this season?
Why He’ll Improve
Iworah did have the distinction of being a two-year starter in college. Over that stretch, he managed to record 15 pass breakups and five interceptions.
While raw, Iworah does have one element separating him from the rest of the crop — speed.
His 4.32 40-yard time at his 2016 pro day is likely one of the reasons the Niners grabbed him late in that year’s draft. While his technique certainly needs work, speed is an uncoachable trait. Iworah has that, and it could be the thing that keeps him around this season.
On his NFL Draft profile, broken down by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Iworah also has solid explosiveness to his game.
This might come in handy as well, along with the ability to double on special teams.
Why He’ll Regress
As is the case with many late-round draft picks, the chances to stick around on a 53-man roster are slim at best.
The rawness to Iworah’s game is another thing to worry about here. As Zierlein pointed out, Iworah wasn’t the best at matching good route-runners at the collegiate level, and the more-complex NFL-style routes create even more problems for the second-year pro.
At 5-foot-9 and 192 pounds, Iworah’s size alone means he’s probably best suited for nickel duties instead of on the outside.
San Francisco already has Williams and fellow second-year pro Will Redmond topping off the competition at nickel cornerback. So Iworah is merely a depth piece at best right now.
Seeing him earn more reps with first- or second-team units is unlikely.
What to Expect in 2017
The Niners could have parted ways with Iworah earlier this offseason and no one would have thought anything of it. He’s a fringe player trying to prove himself to a new regime wanting to put a stamp on the organization.
This doesn’t work in Iworah’s favor, but the fact he’s managed to stick around into OTAs is worth something.
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But it doesn’t seem likely Iworah makes it through the final round of roster cuts at the end of the preseason. While he’s still eligible for the practice squad, it’s also possible the new Niners brass wants to stockpile players of their own choosing and not those of Baalke.
Iworah’s intangibles — speed and athleticism — will be the lone aspects the 49ers hope to develop.
Next: 5 key 49ers defensive stats to watch in 2017
And yet these probably won’t be enough, making Iworah a long shot to stick around with San Francisco into September and beyond.