San Francisco 49ers: 5 late-round prospects to target in the 2018 NFL Draft

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DALLAS, TX – OCTOBER 08: Holton Hill #5 of the Texas Longhorns at Cotton Bowl on October 8, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Cornerback Holton Hill

Age: 21 years old

Height: 6 feet 2 inches

Weight: 196 pounds

Coming into this most recent offseason, there was an acute need at cornerback for the 49ers. Ahkello Witherspoon, the team’s 2017 third-round draft pick out of Colorado, ended the season as the clear-cut No. 1 cornerback.

Outside of Witherspoon though, there was no viable candidate on the roster to be a starter. Then Seattle opted to release cornerback Richard Sherman, who fell into the laps of San Francisco. Sherman and Witherspoon, barring any unusual circumstances, will enter 2018 as the No. 1 and No. 2 cornerbacks.

But depth is still needed at the position, and the draft is where the 49ers will look to add. Cornerback Holton Hill, from Texas, is a player that fits the mold of what they’re looking for.

Hill has preferred size, standing at 6 feet 2 inches. Most importantly, Hill’s arm length — 32 inches — is exactly what San Francisco yearns for.

There are off-the-field issues that may warrant some caution. Hill was suspended for the final three games of the 2017 season for failed drug tests. But the talent is certainly there, and the organization has shown that they are willing to take risks on a player (see Reuben Foster).

As well as being staunch in pass coverage — per PFF, Hill did not allow a single passing touchdown in 2017 and gave up a passer rating of only 48.1 on 57 targets — the 21-year-old is an able tackler.

Hill is ranked as the No. 25 cornerback by PFF in the draft class, and NFLDraftScout.com projects him as a fifth-round pick.