No. 5: Cornerback Tarvarus McFadden
It was a bit of a shock to see former Florida State cornerback Tarvarus McFadden go undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. Especially with his NFL.com draft profile suggesting he’d be a fifth- or sixth-round pickup.
At any rate, the 49ers inked McFadden as an UDFA to a contract with $90,000 in guaranteed money — the largest among all UDFAs to that point this offseason:
Biggest UDFA guarantee I've heard so far: $90,000 for TE Deon Yelder with the #Saints ($15K bonus, $75K base guarantee) and CB Tarvarus McFadden with the #49ers ($20K/$70K).
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 29, 2018
The Niners have some question marks about cornerback depth this season. And the 6-foot-2, 204-pound McFadden has the body type San Francisco likes for the position.
Yet the one major issue is McFadden’s speed. He ran a slowish 4.67 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine, and most defensive backs need to be around the 4.5 mark here.
But McFadden’s upside is enough to keep him around on NFL rosters, particularly as a depth option or potential starter if he can work on his recovery speed.
Still, those hopes may not be enough. And despite all the positive traits he displays, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the 49ers cut him after the preseason and hope they can stash him on the practice squad for further development.