49ers NFL Draft history: Top 5 defensive backs drafted in the 2000s

The San Francisco 49ers have not been lucky in the NFL Draft with selecting defensive backs recently. Who are the five best defensive backs the Niners drafted since 2000?

With the NFL Draft coming up, much talk has been made about who the San Francisco 49ers will select early on, as they have two first-round selections at Nos. 13 and 31. Along with talk of draft prospects on their radar, pre-draft is always a time to remember past draft picks.

The position group which has eluded the organization the most in the past two decades is the defensive back spot. The team had success at drafting for the position group in the 1980s and 1990s, and names like Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, Eric Davis and Merton Hanks are some that come to mind when thinkings of DBs drafted in those decades.

However, since 2000, the team has found much less success drafting defensive backs.

They had a lot more success drafting linebackers and defensive linemen. This was evident as they’ve hit on many Pro Bowl and All-Pro players in their front seven as of late.

The defenses during the time of head coach Jim Harbaugh (2011 through 2014) and even the current regime were built on a solid pass rush and great versatile linebackers. Defensive backs were the complementary pieces. And even at that, the high-level defensive backs on those teams came over via free agency and trades.

Carlos Rogers was the premier cornerback on the 49ers during the Harbaugh era. Richard Sherman is the premier cornerback on the current roster. Both came to the team via free agency. But the 49ers did draft a few defensive backs who shined and played at a high level throughout the last two decades.

Some were Pro Bowlers, some All-Pro selections and some just contributed consistently to the team when needed.

So who were the 49ers best draft picks at the defensive back position since 2000?