49ers NFL Draft: 5 positions to address after free agency
By Peter Panacy
49ers NFL Draft Need No. 4: Strong Safety
Some may argue additional pass-rushers are a big need in the NFL Draft, and it would be hard to counter against it.
The signing of Samson Ebukam lessens the need to an extent, and the hope is both Dee Ford and EDGE Nick Bosa are capable of returning at 100 percent, Bosa hopefully by Week 1 after tearing his ACL early in 2020.
But the 2021 draft has question marks all around its edge-rushing class, and one could counter finding a long-term option at strong safety would be more important for the long run right now, particularly with young defensive backs often struggling to transition from playing college ball to playing at the NFL level. It takes time to adjust there, and not so much in the pass-rush department.
Bringing back Jaquiski Tartt on a one-year deal helps solve the immediate need for a starting-caliber strong safety. But Tartt has missed 28 regular-season games the last four years and is back on a one-year deal anyway. Meanwhile, fellow safeties Tavon Wilson, Tarvarius Moore and Marcell Harris are all entering contract years, and none of them are locks to make the 53-man roster out of training camp.
It wouldn’t hurt San Francisco to consider some solid safety prospects in the middle rounds, including the following names:
- Trevon Moehrig, TCU
- Hamsah Nasirildeen, Florida State
- Jevon Holland, Oregon
- Andre Cisco, Syracuse
- Ar’Darius Washington, TCU
- Tyree Gillespie, Missouri