49ers’ 2018 ‘Who Is?’ series: Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley
By Peter Panacy
Niner Noise’s 2018 “Who Is?” series looks at one of the many young San Francisco 49ers cornerbacks, rookie Emmanuel Moseley, and his chances of making the roster this season.
The San Francisco 49ers took something of a shotgun approach to address their cornerback position this offseason, grabbing a number of players in the 2018 NFL Draft and free agency.
One of those, an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee, is Emmanuel Moseley — a 5-foot-11, 184-pound slot-type corner with four years’ experience playing within the SEC.
Moseley’s best collegiate season came back in 2016, where he registered 57 total tackles including 3.5 for a loss. While his frame could allow him to play on the outside, it’s likely the Niners envision him as a backup option for nickel duties at the pro level.
| Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Def | Def | Def | Def | Def | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD |
| *2014 | Tennessee | SEC | FR | DB | 10 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| *2015 | Tennessee | SEC | SO | DB | 13 | 22 | 5 | 27 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 10 |
| *2016 | Tennessee | SEC | JR | DB | 13 | 44 | 13 | 57 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| 2017 | Tennessee | SEC | SR | DB | 12 | 28 | 10 | 38 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 0 | 7 |
| Career | Tennessee | 109 | 32 | 141 | 9.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 39 | 19.5 | 0 | 29 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/19/2018.
Moseley has a long road ahead of him if he hopes to crack the 49ers’ 53-man roster this season. Yet there are enough traits to suggest he can be a worthy pro-level option.
Let’s dive into what he’ll need to do to impress this training camp.
Why Emmanuel Moseley Improves in 2018
Despite his smallish frame, Moseley has no problem playing with aggression. You can get the idea below:
49ers undrafted rookie Emmanuel Moseley.. doesn't shy away from contact... but can he cover? @fourth_nine pic.twitter.com/skP7dwOhOZ
— CROCKPOT🤴🏾 (@Eric_Crocker) April 29, 2018
Combine that with Moseley’s 4.42 40-yard time at his pro day, and it’s easy to see why Moseley can handle tackling assignments on NFL-level slot receivers. Add on some special teams abilities, and Moseley has about as good a chance to make the roster out of all the Niners’ UDFA candidates.
And it isn’t as if Moseley relies solely on his aggressiveness to make plays. Per NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, the young corner also acts “as disruptor rather than just tackler.” This would help explain the 29 passes defended within the college ranks.
Why He Regresses
A common trend among many first-year cornerbacks capable of playing with some tenacity is the tendency to overpursue and take poor angles.
Moseley can be guilty of this, and Zierlein also prompted questions about his coverage abilities. Because of this, Moseley is likely trending more towards being a zone-style nickel back instead of someone operating in man-only coverage.
San Francisco 49ers
That’s not bad for San Francisco, per se, as defensive coordinator Robert Saleh operates plenty of zone in his scheme. But if some of the other nickel corners on the Niners roster excel in both areas, Moseley’s chances will surely take a hit.
Chances of Making the 49ers’ 53-Man Roster in 2018
The 49ers have three other notable first-year corners worth paying attention to this offseason — Tarvarius Moore, D.J. Reed and Tarvarus McFadden.
Reed and the veteran, K’Waun Williams, are among Moseley’s biggest competition for slot-coverage duties. One should factor in defensive back Jimmie Ward as well.
Williams and Ward are all but assured roster spots to start the season. Moore, being a third-round draftee, likely makes the cut as well. That leaves Moseley’s camp battle between Reed and McFadden.
Beating out the slower McFadden is a real possibility. Even so, Moseley is competing for what looks to be the sixth spot on the cornerback depth chart. And San Francisco might not even keep that many on the active roster to start the season.
Next: 49ers 2018 offseason positional preview: Cornerback
As of now, Moseley is on the weak bubble. An injury in training camp or the preseason could open up a shot, but he’ll likely be headed to the practice squad once Week 1 kicks off this season.