49ers roster: Predicting cornerback depth chart after NFL Draft

The 49ers added two cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft. And while they may not start right away, they do shake up the depth chart.

Cornerback was going to be a big need for the San Francisco 49ers heading into the 2021 offseason. And despite the team re-signing corners Jason Verrett and K’Waun Williams to one-year deals, the need didn’t just evaporate heading into NFL Draft season.

Particularly with the Pro Bowl veteran, Richard Sherman, hitting the open market in free agency.

The Niners moving up to No. 3 overall in the draft to select North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance all but eliminated any possibility of taking one of the top-end corners in this year’s class. And while San Francisco could have grabbed a quality player in Round 2, its decision to upgrade the offensive line with Notre Dame guard Aaron Banks pushed this need into the third round.

In total, the 49ers elected to draft two corners, Michigan’s Ambry Thomas in Round 3 and then Oregon’s Deommodore Lenoir in Round 5.

Both are feisty and physical, which is a good thing. Yet neither player should be expected to start right away. It might take a year or so to fully ensure both players develop properly, although a strong training camp and whatever amounts to a preseason could alter the Niners depth chart altogether.

What the additions do, however, is alter what the pecking order could be heading towards Week 1.

Teams typically carry five or six cornerbacks, especially if the lower names double on special teams. And with a number of veteran corners on the roster already, there are going to be some notable names dismissed when roster cuts are announced later this summer.

But before we get to our predictions, let’s first break down who now finds himself on San Francisco’s offseason roster at this position.