The Tennessee Titans used the NFL's top waiver wire priority to claim four players, including cornerback Samuel Womack from their AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts. But as San Francisco 49ers fans known, not too long ago, his journey in the pros began in the Bay Area. He was a fifth-round pick who struggled to carve out a role early on, though it appears the club that drafted him moved on prematurely.
While they've certainly hit a few home runs, San Francisco hasn't had the best draft track record under general manager John Lynch. He appeared to whiff on Womack, who has changed that narrative since since the 49ers cut him last summer.
So much so that another suitor promptly scooped the 26-year-old up less than 24 hours after getting the Colts parted ways with him.
Ex-49ers draft pick Samuel Womack quickly lands with Titans after getting waived by Colts
Womack grown into a usable, if not solid, contributor in his lone campaign with the Colts, providing a much-needed lift to their injury-marred secondary. He racked up 36 tackles, nine pass deflections and two interceptions across 17 games (eight starts). Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave him 71.3 and 71.4 grades in coverage and overall, good for 43rd and 38th out of 222 qualified corners, respectively.
Albeit undersized at 5-foot-10, 189 poinds, Womack is a ball hawk. He has electrifying speed and a strong collegiate résumé as a former three-year starter out of Toldeo. The 2022 No. 172 selection led the Mid-American Conference in pass breakups annually from 2019 to 2021, showcasing his ability to stick to opposing receivers.
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Barring any setbacks in his recovery from a knee injury, L'Jarius Sneed will headline Tennessee's corner depth chart. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. figures to line up opposite him following a solid rookie season, particularly as a run-stopper. Beyond that, Womack has a direct path to playing time, competing with 2025 sixth-rounder Marcus Harris and veteran Darrell Baker Jr.
Seeing Womack establish himself elsewhere post-fizzling out in San Fran can be taken one of two ways. First, as mentioned earlier, it can be seen as an indictment of Lynch, his patience (or lack thereof) and poor internal development. Alternatively, those seeing this from a glass-half-full perspective may consider it validation that Niners found a talented Day 3 prospect; it just took some time.