49ers 2019 mock NFL Draft: Assessing team needs over all 7 rounds

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TUSCALOOSA, AL – NOVEMBER 04: Jerry Jeudy #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide fails to pull in this reception against Andraez Williams #29 of the LSU Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Wait, not an edge rusher with the 49ers’ No. 1 overall pick?

No, not an edge rusher. And there’s good rationale behind the decision.

The 2019 NFL Draft is laden with pass-rushers in arguably the deepest class at this position in years. It’s a top need for San Francisco, sure. But with Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa already off the board (he went No. 2 to the New York Jets), the 49ers elect to solve yet another pressing need.

Cornerback.

No. 1 corner Richard Sherman is an option for the next two years. His teammate, Ahkello Witherspoon, has seriously regressed since his promising 2017 rookie campaign. And there’s no promise the 49ers’ other boundary cornerback options are going to pan out in coming seasons.

Looking at both the short- and long-term needs, San Francisco needs to get greedy and land the best cornerback it can get. And without question, that player is LSU’s Greedy Williams.

The 6-foot-2, 182-pound Williams already looks like a fit in the Niners’ Cover 3, single-high safety defense. He’s long, lanky and best yet, a true ballhawk, as his two collegiate years have shown:

Greedy Williams Defense & Fumbles Table
		Tackles	Def Int	Fumbles
Year	School	Conf	Class	Pos	G	Solo	Ast	Tot	Loss	Sk	Int	Yds	Avg	TD	PD	FR	Yds	TD	FF
*2017	LSU	SEC	FR	CB	13	26	12	38	1.5	0.0	6	32	5.3	0	10	0			0
2018	LSU	SEC	SO	CB	5	15	3	18	0.0	0.0	2	20	10.0	0	2	0			0
Career	LSU					41	15	56	1.5	0.0	8	52	6.5	0	12	0			0

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 10/4/2018.

LSU has a nice long history of producing top-quality defensive backs. The Houston Texans’ Tyrann Mathieu and former 49ers safety Eric Reid come to mind.

Williams is assuredly the next standout of the bunch. He’d be a plug-and-play starter right out of the gate, alleviating all the problems the Niners defense is currently having in their secondary.

And if you still wanted an edge rusher, the next selection should help alleviate your concerns.