4 sleepers 49ers must have eyes on late in 2023 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
No. 3 sleeper 49ers must target: S Daniel Scott, Cal
The 49ers said goodbye to longtime defensive back Jimmie Ward this offseason. And despite re-signing veteran safety Tashaun Gipson to reclaim the same role he held a year ago, the need for a younger starting-caliber player is still very much there.
Enter Cal‘s Daniel Scott.
The 6-foot-1, 208-pound safety is rangy, which bodes well for him potentially playing in a single-high defensive scheme. Should the Niners’ new defensive coordinator, Steve Wilks, elect to do this, it would allow Talanoa Hufanga to play closer to the line of scrimmage where his strengths are maximized.
Scott, over the long haul, could occupy that sideline-to-sideline role, and he’s found his way onto some red and gold mocks already.
At 25 years old, some teams will pass on Scott as an early addition on draft day, yet a win-now team like San Francisco doesn’t need to find younger building blocks to create a core group two or three years down the road.
Scott is likely a Round 4 or 5 pick but could also slip into the third round.