49ers’ 2019 ‘Who Is?’ series: Safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers swiped up former Arizona safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles after he went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. What are the Niners getting here? Niner Noise’s “Who Is?” series takes a deeper look.
Safety was arguably one of the bigger problems for the San Francisco 49ers heading into 2019, particularly after injury and sub-par play hit both their 2018 starting options, Jimmie Ward and Adrian Colbert.
Yet the Niners mostly avoided making major moves at free safety, instead hoping either Ward or Colbert bounce back this season.
Instead, San Francisco grabbed undrafted free-agent safeties Cameron Glenn out of Wake Forest and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles out of Arizona.
Glenn is no longer with the 49ers, meaning Flannigan-Fowles should get an increased look between now and training camp, possibly through into the preseason if he sticks around.
| Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Def | Def | Def | Def | Fumb | Fumb | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | PD | FR | FF |
| *2015 | Arizona | Pac-12 | FR | S | 9 | 21 | 7 | 28 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | Arizona | Pac-12 | SO | S | 12 | 59 | 19 | 78 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| *2017 | Arizona | Pac-12 | JR | S | 13 | 57 | 24 | 81 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 5 | 1.7 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | Arizona | Pac-12 | SR | S | 12 | 35 | 21 | 56 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | |
| Career | Arizona | 172 | 71 | 243 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 6 | 6 | 1.0 | 16 | 2 | 3 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/27/2019.
A three-year collegiate starter, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Flannigan-Fowles will have a shot to compete for backup duties, primarily at strong safety. If he can double on special teams, it will only increase his stock value.
What will he have to do to make the roster in 2019?
Why Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles Improves in 2019
Flannigan-Fowles didn’t have the turnover numbers his senior season, but that doesn’t take away some of the ballhawk abilities he enjoyed back in 2017. Instead, he flashed plenty of prowess at the line of scrimmage, where he was responsible for those five tackles for a loss, paired with seven passes defended.
This is likely where Flannigan-Fowles makes his money — a strong side, towards-the-box safety, who has keen abilities in run-stopping duties. The relatively high number of tackles also suggests he likes to be around the ball a lot, which is a good thing for a strong safety.
Why Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles Regresses
He’s not particularly rangy or quick, having run a 4.58 40-yard time at his pro day.
While he does have the ideal body type for a free safety, putting him at the back end of a single-high Cover 3 scheme could open him up to liability, as he’d be limited in the quick-twitch reaction and recovery necessary out of this particular spot.
This will limit his chances to impress, as the 49ers don’t exactly have pressing needs at strong safety, rather at the free safety spot heading into training camp.
Chances of Making the 49ers’ 53-Man Roster in 2019
Ward suffered a broken collarbone during organized team activities, which opens up some competition in the backfield. While Flannigan-Fowles likely isn’t pegged for free safety duties, the Niners may entertain moving one of their strong safety candidates, Jaquiski Tartt, back to free safety — a position he’s played before.
This would leave Flannigan-Fowles in a position to compete for a depth spot alongside second-year pro Marcell Harris, who flashed some promise last year after Tartt was lost to a broken forearm.
Next. 5 49ers who need to stay healthy in 2019. dark
Harris probably has the edge here, especially if Ward returns healthy enough in time for Week 1. That puts Flannigan-Fowles on the weaker side of the roster bubble. But if he shines enough on special teams and showcases some upside potential as a reserve, it’s possible he winds up being yet another one of the Niners’ undrafted free-agent finds in recent years.