49ers 2020 NFL Draft needs: Ranking top 5 safety options
No. 1: Xavier McKinney, Alabama Crimson Tide
When it comes to safeties, Xavier McKinney is the top prospect in the 2020 class by a wide margin right now. He alone of all the safeties in the group cannot be drafted by the 49ers.
He simply won’t make it to No. 31, barring a complete meltdown during the NFL Combine, and San Francisco lacks the picks to trade up for him.
A versatile defender for the Crimson Tide, McKinney can do it all. He can play either free safety or strong safety, and even be used as a linebacker. He is adept at man or zone coverage, as well as blitzing (six sacks in the last two seasons).
He’s an aggressive player who tackles well, and can play well in the box just as much as down the field. He’s fast, strong and has good feet to keep up with receivers. He has the ability to fit into any potential defensive scheme no matter what it asks of him.
The truth of the matter is there just isn’t much in the way of weaknesses with McKinney. There are aspects of his game that aren’t as strong as others, he’s not at his best very deep down the field for example, but there’s nothing in the way of an actual liability.
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A guy who can literally do anything a team wants, McKinney looks like a possible top 10 selection in the draft. He’s the top safety in the draft class, and he’s going to be gone long before San Francisco is on the clock.