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San Francisco 49ers: Grading the 2017 NFL Draft class after one full year

By Peter Panacy

Solomon Thomas of Stanford with Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell after being picked #3 overall by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Solomon Thomas of Stanford with Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell after being picked #3 overall by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Adrian Colbert #38 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after a play against the New York Giants during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 12, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Adrian Colbert #38 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after a play against the New York Giants during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 12, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

A+. . Defensive Back. Miami. ADRIAN COLBERT

Well, this is an easy grade to dish out.

Former Miami (Fl.) defensive back Adrian Colbert went from being almost an afterthought at the tail end of the NFL Draft to a starting free safety in the 49ers defense.

And a high-quality one in just one year, making his draft tweet pretty indicative:

Numerous injuries forced Colbert into a starting role, and he never looked back. He finished 2017 with 30 tackles and five passes defended, but that doesn’t tell the entire story. Colbert also flashed the necessary range and converging speed, combined with hard-hitting ways, necessary for a safety in a single-high system.

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So much so, his 78.9 overall Pro Football Focus grade ranked fourth best among all rookie safeties this season.

It’s hard to imagine Colbert losing out on his starting job now. He’s forced the 49ers to make some hard decisions about their starting lineup at safety entering 2018.

Next: 2018 NFL Draft: 5 Round 1 prospects the 49ers should watch

And that’s a great thing, which easily results in a top grade for the promising rookie.