2018 NFL Scouting Combine: Top 5 cornerbacks to watch

Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado

I haven’t overlooked Denzel Ward as an option for the 49ers. Ward is 5-foot-10, and unless the Niners put him in the slot on every down then, in my opinion, he won’t be able to hang with the big receivers in the NFL.

Is Ward NFL ready? Yes. Can he play the game? Yes. Again, this is a height thing for me, and I don’t see Ward playing the boundary corner in Robert Saleh’s 4-3 scheme, where length and speed are the combinations for success.

Enter the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Isaiah Oliver, CB, out of Colorado.

Should Oliver run his 40-yard dash at 4.5, or better, at the combine, then he will almost certainly warrant a first-round selection.

In viewing his tape, the first thing that jumps off the screen is his ability to get long. Oliver’s athleticism and range makes open windows shut down, and in a heartbeat. His height is of no concern playing the boundary corner, and he fits Saleh’s defense like a glove.

Pairing Oliver with Witherspoon would bring the Buffs’ tandem back together again. A duo John Lynch may not pass up on, as cornerback is certainly a team need.