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5 burning questions for the 49ers after the 2019 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 25: Nick Bosa of Ohio State with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being announced as the second pick in the first round of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 25: Nick Bosa of Ohio State with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being announced as the second pick in the first round of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 21: Adrian Colbert #27 and Ahkello Witherspoon #23 of the San Francisco 49ers attempt to intercept a pass intended for Brandin Cooks #12 of the Los Angeles Rams during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 21, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 1: The 49ers’ Secondary to Prove Itself After Few Changes?

Last year, Pro Football Focus ranked San Francisco’s defensive backfield dead last in 2018.

Before the draft, the 49ers’ two biggest moves were to re-sign defensive back Jimmie Ward and ink cornerback Jason Verrett to a one-year deals each. Both Ward and Verrett have serious injury histories, however, and both defensive backs have essentially stayed healthy at the pro level for just one season apiece.

So one would have guessed the Niners would use at least a few mid-round picks on defensive backs, particularly with a number of good-quality ones slipping past the first two days.

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Yet San Francisco’s lone NFL Draft pickup to address the secondary was also-oft-injured cornerback Tim Harris, selected with the 49ers’ final pick, No. 198 overall.

This indicates both John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have a lot of faith in players bouncing back from last season, including cornerback Richard Sherman.

“Yeah, I look out my window, and he’s getting up there in years, but he’s right at the front of the pack,” Lynch told the media after day two of the NFL Draft. “He’s pushing those guys. I think my own feeling, we’ll see a better version of Richard Sherman this year because he’s a year further away from those procedures and had that cleanup. We’ll see, but I’m hopeful.”

It sounds hopeful, yet teams mostly avoided Sherman in 2018, instead electing to target fellow cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who regressed significantly after an impressive rookie 2017 campaign.

Perhaps the addition of Bosa and a reinforced defensive front seven takes pressure off the Niners secondary, keeping it away from the very bottom of the pack, where PFF put it.

Next. 49ers' 2019 NFL Draft trackers with grades, full analysis. dark

At least that’s the hope for now.