49ers close Round 6 of draft with Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields

The 49ers focused on defensive depth at the end of Round 6 of the 2022 NFL Draft, grabbing DT Kalia Davis and CB Tariq Castro-Fields.

The San Francisco 49ers owned three picks in Round 6 of the 2022 NFL Draft, including two compensatory selections at Nos. 220 and 221 overall to close out the round.

After grabbing small-school offensive tackle Nick Zakelj out of Fordham University earlier in the round, general manager John Lynch had his back-to-back selections to grab two more players to bolster the depth chart and compete for roster spots among the 53-man group this upcoming season.

To close out the sixth round, Lynch and the Niners added UCF defensive tackle Kalia Davis, then grabbed Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields.

49ers looking for D.J. Jones’ replacement in Kalia Davis?

Interestingly enough, San Francisco drafted now-Denver Broncos nose tackle D.J. Jones in Round 6 way back in 2017, and that move worked out pretty well.

While the 49ers can hope their 2020 first-round selection, Javon Kinlaw, can wind up making up a big piece of Jones’ departure, it wouldn’t hurt to find someone who can fill the void on the deeper ends of the depth chart.

This is where the 6-foot-1, 310-pound Davis comes into play.

More of a 1-technique, Davis finished his 2021 campaign with 17 tackles, 4.5 of which came for a loss, and a sack.

True, Davis will have to fight for jockeying amid a still-deep Niners defensive line, particularly with other depth members like Maurice Hurst and Kevin Givens on the roster. But at least the rookie will be in the discussion.

49ers add cornerback depth with Tariq Castro-Fields

San Francisco already grabbed a cornerback earlier in the draft by adding Toledo’s Samuel Womack, but Womack figures to be more of a nickel corner at the pro level.

Castro-Fields, meanwhile, looks more of a boundary-type player, standing at 6-foot-0 and 198 pounds.

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 4/30/2022.

Not much of a ballhawk, Castro-Fields likely has a shot to compete for one of the depth positions on the 49ers roster, primarily with returning veterans like Dontae Johnson and Darqueze Dennard, among others.

Additionally, Castro-Fields could be an option to move to safety, assisting some depth concerns there, too.

It might not be a great sign for other corners who seemingly have fallen out of favor, such as second-year man Deommodore Lenoir. But considering how much of a weakness the Niners secondary was last season, exploring what Castro-Fields can offer isn’t the worst thing San Francisco could have done.