49ers NFL Draft 2022: 5 cornerbacks San Francisco must target
By Peter Panacy
![Trent McDuffie #22 of the Washington Huskies (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) Trent McDuffie #22 of the Washington Huskies (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/a9ab461305f188ba777bc12a0e350624c261b7c268e2cf87d6e8862d1c6ffa10.jpg)
4. player. 841. . Cornerback. Rebels . Keidron Smith
49ers NFL Draft Target No. 4: Keidron Smith, Ole Miss
Ballhawking and interceptions aren’t the only quality indicators of an NFL-level cornerback, and there are certainly players who won’t be as highly touted early in the draft but have the intangible skills to eventually develop into long-term starters.
That might have to be the gamble the Niners would take, should Ole Miss cornerback Keidron Smith be a day-three draft target.
At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Smith fits the mold for a long, lanky defensive back with good speed and some physicality to play at the position. While there are concerns about his quick-twitch reaction skills and recovery abilities, Smith already has 18 tackles on the year with a pass broken up.
Smith might require a little bit of polish at the pro level, perhaps taking a year to fully acclimate.
Considering San Francisco needs some long-term investments anyway, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to make some of those late-round moves and hope they pan out for the better.
Especially if Smith is able to capitalize on his physical attributes.