Niner Noise
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49ers’ 7-round mock 2019 NFL Draft with Josh Allen in Round 1

By Peter Panacy

ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 01: Josh Allen #41 of the Kentucky Wildcats get ready prior to the VRBO Citrus Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Camping World Stadium on January 1, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 01: Josh Allen #41 of the Kentucky Wildcats get ready prior to the VRBO Citrus Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Camping World Stadium on January 1, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – OCTOBER 13: A.J. Taylor #4 of the Wisconsin Badgers can’t come up with a first half catch defended by David Long #22 of the Michigan Wolverines on October 13, 2018 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 38-13. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI – OCTOBER 13: A.J. Taylor #4 of the Wisconsin Badgers can’t come up with a first half catch defended by David Long #22 of the Michigan Wolverines on October 13, 2018 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 38-13. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Remember that part about the 49ers needing some serious help for their secondary? Well, it doesn’t end just by adding a free safety earlier in the draft.

What should be of note is the Niners are banking on multiple gambles in 2019: Jason Verrett avoiding yet another major injury, as well as younger corners Ahkello Witherspoon and Tarvarius Moore bouncing back from otherwise disappointing efforts a year ago. Plus, San Francisco has to think about finding a long-term replacement for the veteran, Richard Sherman, who just turned 31 years old last month.

At this point in the draft, John Lynch needs to take some risks with some massive upside potential.

Such would be the case with Michigan cornerback David Long.

Long doesn’t exactly boast the best size for a boundary corner in the Niners’ Cover 3 zone-style system, standing at 5-foot-11 and 196 pounds. But many a credible account states the lack of size hasn’t exactly affected him anyway, and it appears this is Long’s only major drawback.

At Michigan, Long was the epitome of a shutdown cornerback, forcing opponents’ quarterbacks to look elsewhere on the field for targets.

San Francisco needs another one of those defensive backs opposite Sherman.