5 underrated 49ers players who could make a massive impact in 2024
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Cornerback Isaac Yiadom
San Francisco had relatively few glaring needs this offseason, but landing a quality No. 2 boundary cornerback was one of them.
Charvarius Ward is a star, yes, while Deommodore Lenoir is on the ascent. But the free-agent pickup of former New Orleans Saints corner Isaac Yiadom shouldn't be undervalued. The 49ers are getting a true starting-caliber defensive back who is coming off a career year in which he recorded 14 pass breakups and held opposing quarterbacks to a 48.9 completion percentage when targeting him, a career-best mark.
Those opposing quarterbacks already know Ward's pedigree and will likely choose to target Yiadom more frequently than his on-field counterpart.
Should Yiadom match the kind of efficiency he had last season, the Niners' starting cornerback group would be about as complete as it has been in the Kyle Shanahan era.
That certainly makes Yiadom a player to watch this upcoming season.