5 players the 49ers should have targeted in the 2019 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
Remember all that talk about safeties and the 49ers secondary? Well, the same rule applies, only a bit earlier than Deionte Thompson.
It would have been tough for the Niners to grab Delaware safety Nasir Adderley, who ended up going No. 60 overall in Round 2 to the Los Angeles Chargers. San Francisco would have either had to trade down from No. 36 overall, potentially passing on Deebo Samuel (not a good idea) or figure out a way to trade up from its third-round pick, No. 67 overall, which seems a lot more feasible.
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Either way, Adderley would have been an excellent pickup for the 49ers.
Adderley, despite his small-school pedigree, has the ranginess ideal for San Francisco’s Cover 3 zone defense. His instincts are top notch for a true center-field safety, and Adderley has arguably the best coverage skills of any safety from this year’s NFL Draft class. That stems from his prior duties at nickel cornerback.
Question the fit? Well, the Chargers operate a nearly identical defensive system as the 49ers. Remember, Los Angeles’ defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley, stems from the same Seattle Seahawks coaching tree as the Niners’ Robert Saleh.
Instead, Adderley will team up with Chargers All-Pro strong safety Derwin James, comprising one of the most intriguing and potent defensive backfields in the league entering 2019.
The Niners probably wish they had something similar.