49ers post-free agency 7-round 2020 mock NFL Draft

Even though Jimmie Ward is back with San Francisco, the team could still stand for some long-term depth. Ward does have an injury history, after all, and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt is entering a contract year.

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Competition behind these two would be ideal, and targeting someone like Clemson’s Tanner Muse would be a great find in Round 7.

At 6-foot-2 and 227 pounds, Muse has an ideal body type to handle over-the-top safety duties, yet he’s big enough to bump down towards the box as a linebacker-type hybrid if need be. While his game-tape speed doesn’t suggest “elite,” Muse answered a lot of those concerns with an impressive 4.41 40-yard time at the NFL Combine.

In college, Muse would appear to be a better single-high or deep-safety zone fit, as he tends to like all the action in front of him. This surely helped him develop some ballhawking traits, as his six combined interceptions the last two seasons suggest.

Yet it might be better for him to assume linebacking duties early on, eventually transitioning to a safety-type role one he masters the nuances of pro-level coverage schemes.

The 2020 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 23.