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2022 Senior Bowl: 4 NFL Draft prospects 49ers will love

By Peter Panacy

Tight End Kenny Yeboah #88 from Mississippi of the National Team is tackled after a catch by Cornerback Bryan Mills #12 from North Carolina Central and Linebacker Jabril Cox #18 from LSU of the American Team (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Tight End Kenny Yeboah #88 from Mississippi of the National Team is tackled after a catch by Cornerback Bryan Mills #12 from North Carolina Central and Linebacker Jabril Cox #18 from LSU of the American Team (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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Jalen Pitre, Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears safety Jalen Pitre (8) Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /

860. . Defensive Back. Bears . Jalen Pitre. 3. player

49ers Senior Bowl Target No. 3: Defensive Back Jalen Pitre, Baylor

San Francisco is going to need to infuse its secondary with both talent and youth this offseason, namely because a number of higher-profile players are potentially departing via free agency this offseason.

Defensive backs Josh Norman, Jaquiski Tartt and K’Waun Williams are all poised to be free agents, are aging and have injury histories. And while it might make some sense to retain someone like Tartt and/or Williams, it doesn’t erase the need for the 49ers to get both younger and cheaper.

At 6-foot and 197 pounds, Baylor safety Jalen Pitre might be classified as lightly undersized and might be pegged solely for nickel duties at the NFL level. But his physicality is something that surely stood out during his collegiate campaign, which was impressive enough.

Jalen Pitre Defense & Fumbles Table
Tackles Def Int Fumbles
Year School Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Tot Loss Sk Int Yds Avg TD PD FR Yds TD FF
2017 Baylor Big 12 FR LB 12 29 8 37 3.0 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0
*2018 Baylor Big 12 SO LB 7 5 6 11 2.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*2019 Baylor Big 12 JR LB 4 9 3 12 1.5 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020 Baylor Big 12 JR S 9 41 19 60 11.0 2.5 2 56 28.0 2 2 0 1
*2021 Baylor Big 12 SR S 14 56 19 75 18.5 3.5 2 20 10.0 0 7 3 3
Career Baylor 140 55 195 36.0 8.0 4 76 19.0 2 10 3 4

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 2/3/2022.

Pitre isn’t afraid to play down towards the box, and his occasional blitz efforts aren’t totally unlike what the Niners have previously done with Williams at times, too.

Read More: 5 cornerbacks 49ers must target in 2022 NFL Draft

Probably a late Round 2 pick, a strong Senior Bowl might push Pitre out of San Francisco’s draft range if he excels.

Still, the 49ers should eye Pitre closely as a fit.