5 cornerbacks 49ers can target on Day 2 of 2021 NFL Draft

Following the 49ers’ blockbuster trade to get to No. 3 overall in the NFL Draft, grabbing a cornerback now has to be a day-two priority.

The San Francisco 49ers made it perfectly clear they’re planning on grabbing a quarterback with their first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

This, after the Niners moved up from No. 12 overall to the third-overall pick, a blockbuster transaction that ensures head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch want to find a long-term answer under center and an upgrade over the current starting quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo.

Finding the answer at the game’s most important position is vital, and San Francisco is poised to do just that.

But there are still other needs Lynch and Co. need to address.

Any talk of the 49ers finding a young, dynamic cornerback in Round 1 have all but evaporated now, meaning the Niners will have to turn to day two of the NFL Draft to find long-term replacements for corners like Jason Verrett and K’Waun Williams, two players back on one-year deals.

Fortunately, there are a number of solid options likely available in Rounds 2 and 3, and these five corners now suddenly find themselves climbing up San Francisco’s draft radar.

49ers Cornerback Target No. 5: Aaron Robinson, UCF

Williams is coming off a season where he missed half the year with various injuries, and him turning 30 years old before the 2021 campaign begins suggests the 49ers would prefer to get both younger and cheaper at the nickel spot.

UCF cornerback Aaron Robinson, a transfer out of Alabama, primarily played over the slot but has the body type to handle boundary duties.

Over the last two seasons, the 6-foot-1, 193-pound Robinson broke up 15 passes. And while he’s not too big a ballhawk, just having one interception over his four-year collegiate career, he showcased his value in press coverage and doesn’t hesitate to use his frame to jam opposing receivers at the line of scrimmage while keeping up with them on their routes.

Robinson might need a year to develop fully at the NFL level, but his versatility and flexibility make him a solid long-term fit, potentially going early in Round 3 or even the back end of Round 2.