49ers 2019 NFL Draft: 5 possible Round 2 targets for San Francisco
By Peter Panacy
It was a bit of a shock to see LSU cornerback Greedy Williams fall out of the first round. Not long ago, many a big board pegged him this year’s NFL Draft’s best cornerback. And while his draft stock has fallen in recent weeks, seeing him go in Round 2 will be something many analysts probably never predicted.
San Francisco 49ers
That could be a bonus for the 49ers, though.
Williams, 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, could add a bit of weight at the pro level. But his long, lanky frame looks the part for what San Francisco likes in its boundary corners in coordinator Robert Saleh’s Cover 3 zone defensive scheme.
True, the Niners already have two younger corners they’ve invested third-round capital in, Ahkello Witherspoon and Tarvarius Moore. But Witherspoon also regressed in 2018, and Moore’s transition from safety to corner hasn’t progressed quickly.
Likewise, there’s the need to replace veteran cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Richard Sherman, who grow less and less a part of the team’s long-term plans with each passing month.
Williams needs to get better at the line of scrimmage, and added strength could help him fight off bigger and stronger receivers. Yet there’s more than enough to like, especially if the Niners are seeking their next shutdown corner in Round 2.