Why the 49ers could still select a cornerback in the 2019 NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers appear to be placing a patchwork solution to their cornerback situation in 2019, yet that doesn’t mean they’ll avoid a corner in the NFL Draft this year.

One might guess the San Francisco 49ers are tabling their cornerback needs until 2020. This, after the Niners elected not to go after some of the big-name free agents this offseason, instead only grabbing oft-injured corner Jason Verrett instead.

San Francisco seems set at the competition for nickel corner — a pending training camp battle between K’Waun Williams and D.J. Reed. But things get more interesting at the boundary spots. Verrett, Ahkello Witherspoon and second-year pro Tarvarius Moore are poised to take over the starting job opposite the veteran, Richard Sherman, heading into camp.

And with a good chunk of the 49ers’ NFL Draft focus apparently set on upgrading the pass rush, adding a wide receiver and finding a free safety, it looks as if a cornerback will be a much lower priority.

Well, not exactly.

Currently, San Francisco is limited to just six picks in April’s draft. But there’s plenty of room and reason to think general manager John Lynch would want to add a starting-caliber candidate this offseason.

Sherman, after all, is entering year two of the three-year free-agent deal he signed in 2018. He also just turned 31 years old, and the Niners have to start thinking hard about replacing him. Or, at the very least, preparing for a possible slow-down from the veteran.

Just by that account, the 49ers could be looking at two cornerback spots to fill in a short amount of time.

Verrett, who has played just five total regular-season games dating back to 2016, is essentially on a one-year “prove it” deal and could be gone in 2020 even if he stays fully healthy this season.

So, if San Francisco elects not to make an NFL Draft move on a corner, the team is essentially banking on either Witherspoon or Moore to solidify one of the starting jobs sooner rather than later.

It’s a tough proposition to fully accept. Sure, Witherspoon showed plenty of promise his rookie 2017 campaign — enough to grab the starting job. But that all fell apart last year, as Witherspoon ended up being Pro Football Focus‘ lowest-graded corner out of 112 qualifiers in 2018.

There’s always the chance he bounces back, as young defensive backs often struggle early in their careers after transitioning from the collegiate ranks to the pros. But for Witherspoon, 2019 is also shaping up to be a prove-it year.

And it might be a year in which the 49ers decide whether or not the shift of Moore from safety to boundary corner was worthwhile.

At a time where passing numbers are growing exceptionally, and quarterbacks are getting the ball out sooner, boasting good cover corners has never been more important. Right now, Sherman remains the only reliable option the Niners can count on. And he’s not a long-term option any longer.

So, if San Francisco elects not to pursue a corner in this year’s NFL Draft, one can see how the inaction could be compounded into serious problems down the road.

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