49ers 2018 training camp: Why Tarvarius Moore is a player to watch

As training camp is about to begin for the San Francisco 49ers, all eyes will be on this year’s revamped secondary, but rookie defensive back Tarvarius Moore is one player who may surprise some people.

The San Francisco 49ers are about to enter training camp, and an area of interest is the Niner secondary. An intriguing piece to this puzzle is rookie defensive back Tarvarius Moore.

Drafted in the third round in 2018, Moore played free safety at the University of Southern Mississippi, but 49ers beat reporter Matt Maiocco reported he will be used as a cornerback:

Moore had an astronomic rise before the draft, rising from a likely undrafted free agent all the way to the third round.

Here’s two reasons why Moore is someone worth watching in camp.

His Raw Talent

Moore enters as one of the most athletically gifted players on the 49ers. At his pro day, Moore ran a 4.32 40-yard dash. He also recorded a 38.5-inch vertical leap and 11-foot-1 broad jump. These are elite testing numbers.

On top of that, SF Gate wrote how Moore “has the length the 49ers prize at CB, with 33-inch arms.”  Being fast and having long arms are hallmarks of the Seattle Seahawks’ Cover 3 scheme, which the 49ers run. The scheme relies on the outside cornerbacks pressing receivers and being able to run with them without safety help.

But Moore is no mere “workout warrior.” He had 87 tackles, three interceptions and 10 pass defenses in just 13 games his senior year, according to Sports Reference.com. Bleacher Report wrote Moore is a “fast and fluid athlete who’s burst jumps off the tape.” Even better, they also write how Moore’s a “smooth operator who easily handles transitions and flies his hips open with no hesitation.”

With both technique and talent, Moore’s got amazing potential. He could easily become a key piece to the secondary.

The Future

This upcoming training camp will allow Moore a chance to show his abilities. Newly acquired cornerback Richard Sherman said, back in late May, that he was aiming for training camp to start fully practicing after his 2017 Achilles injury, “but (the team) is going to be overly cautious either way,” according to Josina Anderson:

This caution will likely limit Sherman’s practicing time, allowing other players to soak in first-team reps. Given the lack of competition for outside corner, Moore will have every chance to prove himself.

Even when Sherman comes back, there will still be plenty of opportunities for Moore to show himself. A torn Achilles is one of the hardest injuries to recover from. Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer was not optimistic about Sherman’s recovery when talking on KNBR’s Murph and Mac Show (h/t clutchsports.com)

"I see Richard being a big nickel. I think he’s going to struggle outside. And I love the guy – he’s one of my best friends in football – but I still think he’s going to transition to a big nickel or a zone corner. I think he’s going to struggle with the quickness and the foot speed locking up people all the time."

Essentially, Sherman will never be the same corner that terrorized the 49ers up in Seattle. As Dilfer said, the speed of opposing receivers may be too much for him to handle.

Eventually, Sherman won’t be able to cut it.

That means, sooner rather than later, Moore will be replacing Sherman in the starting lineup. This training camp should then provide a glimpse into the future of the Niners secondary. Jaquiski Tartt and Adrian Colbert man the safety spots, while Ahkello Witherspoon and Moore lock down the corner positions.

Next: 49ers 2018 offseason positional preview: Cornerback

Because of his potential, Tarvarius Moore is a player all 49ers fans should be on the lookout for.