49ers biggest winners, losers from surprising 2022 NFL Draft class
By Peter Panacy
49ers winner: Talanoa Hufanga, George Odum and Tarvarius Moore
The 49ers could have easily selected a safety at any relatively early point in the NFL Draft, and fans would have highlighted it as a great pickup, filling a need in the wake of veteran defensive back Jaquiski Tartt leaving for the free-agent market earlier this offseason.
With Tartt still unsigned, the void remained throughout the draft. Yet the Niners made no such move despite there being some notable safeties available to them throughout the draft.
OK, so San Francisco did grab former Texas A&M safety Leon O’Neal Jr., and he could easily wind up stealing the strong safety spot as an in-the-box option.
But, according to Kyle Shanahan, safety wasn’t exactly a priority during the draft:
SF didn't draft a safety. Kyle Shanahan says the 49ers feel good about safety with Jimmie Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, George Odum and Tarvarius Moore.
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) April 30, 2022
"We have four NFL players there."
Let’s make this clear: Safeties Talanoa Hufanga, Tarvarius Moore and George Odum aren’t exactly Tartt-like players. All three are generally viewed as more special teams contributors instead of full-time defensive players, so that’s something to monitor.
Yet the biggest reason why all three of them win is they’ll have a chance to secure that starting role heading into offseason workouts.
It would have been much tougher if the 49ers grabbed a safety early in the draft.