49ers 2021 NFL Draft live tracker, reactions and updates

Round 5, Pick No. 172 Overall: CB Deommodore Lenoir, Oregon

Still no wide receivers this deep into the NFL Draft, yet San Francisco made up for last year’s move of waiving reserve nickel cornerback D.J. Reed, who found success with the Seattle Seahawks after being claimed by the 49ers’ NFC West division rivals.

Plus, with K’Waun Williams also entering a contract year and turning 30 years old before the regular season begins, it would be smart for the Niners to infuse some youth within their secondary.

Oregon cornerback Deommodore Lenoir figures to be a candidate to replace Williams in the long run, competing with San Francisco’s earlier pick for the secondary, Ambry Thomas, for positiong on the depth chart.

Lenoir could have an advantage, though, in that the Pac-12 is so offensive heavy, defensive backs who wind up standing out from this particular conference need to showcase a lot of skills capable of being carried over to the NFL level.

While Lenoir was limited to just six games last season, the 5-foot-11 and 195-pound defensive back registered 16 pass breakups the previous two years combined along with four interceptions during that span.

Getting a potential ballhawk late in the NFL Draft is never a bad idea, and the 49ers hope to have done just that.