49ers 2019 NFL Draft prospect profile: Cornerback Deandre Baker

After boasting the worst secondary in the league last season, the San Francisco 49ers will look to add some help in the 2019 NFL Draft? Does this mean Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker?

Last year, the San Francisco 49ers secondary ranked dead last in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.

There were a number of reasons why. For starters, the Niners generated just two interceptions in 2018, and none were from their cornerbacks. Second-year defensive backs Ahkello Witherspoon and Adrian Colbert both regressed heavily, and the team struggled with depth, eventually starting seven different safeties over the course of the season.

General manager John Lynch made relatively few moves to address this in free agency, highlighted by signing oft-injured cornerback Jason Verrett to a one-year deal.

So, based off this information, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Lynch and the 49ers add some defensive backs in the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft.

One of the names on the radar is Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker, who is currently in the discussion for being a late first- or early second-round pick this April.

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 4/14/2019.

Baker, who came on strong his last two seasons in college, might provide one of those needed upgrades for a team needing help towards the back end.

But would he be a good fit for San Francisco? Let’s take a look.

Deandre Baker’s Strengths

At 5-foot-11 and 193 pounds, Baker doesn’t exactly have the size desired to play boundary corner, although this hasn’t been too big a problem for him within some of the tougher elements of competition in college football.

He’s an excellent press-man cover guy, too, regularly able to shadow his receiving target and literally “stay in his pocket” through many complex and difficult routes.

You can get the idea when Baker was matched up against another NFL Draft prospect, South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel:

Also in the video, you can get the idea of Baker’s ballhawking abilities. His seven collegiate interceptions would be a welcomed addition to a Niners team needing turnovers entering 2019.

This is likely the result of Baker using his keen on-field IQ, diagnosing route trees early and reacting accordingly.

Deandre Baker’s Weaknesses

It would be one thing if Baker’s size was the only thing working against him. But when you factor in his relatively slowish 40-yard time, 4.52 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine, things get a bit problematic.

Typically, undersized defensive backs need to run at a 4.50 or below to be a top-billed prospect. Baker is a shade above this. And while the relative lack of speed wasn’t too problematic at the college level, it might be a different story in the pros.

So will the prospects for going up against bigger-bodied and faster wide receivers on the outside, perhaps limiting him to more of a nickel cornerback role.

Plus, as shown in the above video, some of his efforts can lead to excessive penalties if he’s unable to keep up with his receivers.

Projecting Fit with the 49ers

Unless the Niners are viewing Baker as a possible upgrade for their nickel spot, it might be wise for Lynch to simply pass on the Georgia prospect.

San Francisco already has two quality nickel cornerbacks entering the competition for the starting job in 2019, K’Waun Williams and D.J. Reed. Sure, Baker could wind up being an upgrade over either player. But given the 49ers’ needs elsewhere, using one of their first two picks on a corner projecting to be more of a nickel defensive back would be a reach.

That’s why Baker made Niner Noise’s list of players the team would be wise to avoid in this year’s NFL Draft.

One could make the argument shifting Baker from cornerback to free safety would make sense, especially given the Niners’ needs there. But one of Baker’s biggest strengths on the field is in press coverage, which would be negated by him playing off the line of scrimmage and at the very back end of the defense.

All things considered, it doesn’t look as if Baker would be a 49ers target. But at least we understand the reasons why.