49ers NFL Draft 2021: 5 best targets available on Day 2

49ers Day 2 NFL Draft Target No. 3: Cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse

There was a pretty good run on cornerbacks in Round 1 of the NFL Draft beyond the projected first-round selections of South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley. The Cleveland Browns selected Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II while the Green Bay Packers took Georgia corner Eric Stokes, both of whom were viewed as fringe Round 1 prospects.

San Francisco still has cornerback needs despite re-signing Jason Verrett, K’Waun Williams and Emmanuel Moseley during the offseason, and it would be smart for John Lynch and Co. to add at least two corners during the draft, potentially one on day two and another between Rounds 4 through 7.

One of the day-two cornerbacks who fit the mold for what the 49ers have traditionally used for their Cover 3 zone system on the boundary is Syracuse’s Ifeatu Melifonwho, who at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, has the big-body frame but moves much faster than the corner he’d essentially be designed to replace, still-free agent Richard Sherman.

Melifonwu could handle his own in press-man coverage, but it’s likely a zone-style defensive scheme would help him unlock his full potential, both upping his collegiate interception totals (three) while giving him the chance to use his converging speed instead of his reactive skills while shadowing his receiver.

It’s likely Melifonwu doesn’t slip all the way deep into Round 3, especially with how many corners have come off the board already, so the 49ers may have to think about targeting him at or around No. 43 overall.