Cornerback is a need for the 49ers, but the team doesn't tend to target the position on Thursday nights during the draft. Julian Neal however could be an intriguing Day 3 prospect with his ceiling.
The San Francisco 49ers have done a decent job during the offseason in addressing some needs with wide receiver, defensive tackle and linebacker all significantly stronger than they were at the beginning of the year, thanks to trades and free agency.
A team rarely can address all needs this way, however, and cornerback is still one of the big defensive needs for San Francisco. A cornerback is a possibility with the first pick in the NFL Draft at No. 27, but it isn't a position it targets on the first day under John Lynch.
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But the 49ers spend picks at the middle rounds on the position, and they could have an intriguing target in Arkansas cornerback Julian Neal.
Neal is a corner with good size that ticks all the boxes the Niners would want, which is why in an All-SEC mock draft, I had the 49ers taking him with the No. 133 selection.
Julian Neal is a potential steal in 2026 NFL Draft
The first thing to note is Neal just has the right size at 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds to be a strong outside corner. The Niners have Deommodore Lenoir who is all kinds of awesome, but they've been lacking a good second outside guy since Charvarius Ward left the squad.
The numbers are good, too. Last season, Neal had 55 tackles with two interceptions and 10 passes defended, which improved on a strong 2024 at Fresno State where he had 35 tackles with two interceptions and five passes defended before transferring to the Razorbacks.
Where Neal fits in the NFL is in zone coverage, a tick for the 49ers. He's a strong zone corner who can read plays, and shows great technique in tackling. He's also a willing run defender, getting dirty in the box when he has to, which is something the Niners demands from the secondary and would be much needed, given the run defense took a hit last season.
Neal didn't blow people away at the NFL Combine but tested above average, athletically. Teams could be concerned by his average speed (4.49-second 40-time at the combine), but it's by no means a horrible time, given he's a taller zone-based corner.
What the 49ers will also appreciate is his versatility. Neal will be best as a boundary corner but has lined up in the slot and even in the box at times in his collegiate career. The 49ers love such versatility in their players.
Neal has flown a bit under the radar in the draft process, but he ticks all the boxes the Niners like in their corners. Neal is probably on the Day 2/Day3 bubble, so he would make an excellent selection with one of the fourth-round picks San Francisco has.