SF 49ers: Picking one 2021 Senior Bowl player for position needs

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Running back Chris Evans of Michigan (9) runs against defensive back Richie Grant of Central Florida (27) Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports /

SF 49ers Safety Need: Richie Grant, UCF

. Cornerback. Knights . Richie Grant. 4. player. 886

Perhaps no other player impressed more in Senior Bowl practices than UCF safety Richie Grant.

All week, the defensive back was a playmaking ballhawk, involving himself in multiple interceptions and roaming the defensive secondary from sideline to sideline making plays.

Making plays is nothing new for Grant, who totaled 72 total tackles in the nine games he played in this season, along with 3.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, five pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

While the Niners defense played surprisingly well this past season amid all the injuries, should strong safety Jaquiski Tartt move on in free agency, a ballhawking safety would be a great elixir.

Business is boomin for Richie Grant 🚀 pic.twitter.com/RjxcoLo7sa
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) January 30, 2021

Grant’s ability to line up as a cornerback as well lends itself to this current regime’s philosophy of ultimate versatility on both sides of the ball.

While new defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans may tweak some things defensively next season, his hire was also made with the thought of keeping the continuity of the defensive game plans similar to the ones former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh implemented.

Grant could be a day-one starter next season who could yield immediate results to an SF 49ers team that finished second to last in turnover differential at minus-11.