49ers' final 53-man roster prediction with NFL preseason complete
By John Porter
Defensive Backs
Cornerback (5) - Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir. Isaac Yiadom, Renardo Green, Darrell Luter Jr.
This could be light, as the team could keep six corners, but given that Rock Ya-Sin could probably be slid to the practice squad, the numbers game works against him here.
This five is not especially hard to pick, and it might be the best the 49ers cornerback room has looked in the John Lynch/Kyle Shanahan era. The only real question was if Darrell Luter Jr. could do enough to hold a spot on the roster, and with some solid play in extended action against the Raiders, it looks like he has done so.
Ya-Sin has had a good preseason and will likely be kept around as a depth option on the practice squad, while Samuel Womack has flashed some good play, but ultimately buttressed it with too much inconsistency to be considered for a roster spot, especially considering what's in front of him.
Safety (4) - Ji'Ayir Brown, George Odum, Malik Mustapha, Talanoa Hufanga
There's little drama here, as Ji'Ayir Brown is an ascending star, Malik Mustapha is a well-regarded rookie, and George Odum is a competent veteran who produces good special teams play.
The main question here will be if Talanoa Hufanga is on the roster for Week 1, or whether he'll be eventually moved to the PUP list to allow him more time to get game-ready after his ACL tear last season.
If he is, the team could either go with another safety, perhaps veteran Tracy Walker, or use the extra spot at another position, such as cornerback above.
The projection here, though, is that the team keeps Hufanga on the Week 1 roster, even if he doesn't immediately start and works his way back in slowly.