San Francisco 49ers would be wise to divert from their recent history in first two rounds of 2024 NFL Draft
The San Francisco 49ers have not had a pick in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2021 but, under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch, clear trends have emerged as to how they use premium selections. One such trend was laid out in a post by Sam Hoppen of FantasyPros on X (formerly Twitter). […]
The San Francisco 49ers have not had a pick in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2021 but, under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch, clear trends have emerged as to how they use premium selections.
One such trend was laid out in a post by Sam Hoppen of FantasyPros on X (formerly Twitter).
It revealed that the 49ers have not spent a pick in the first two rounds on a cornerback since 2014, when they selected Jimmie Ward 30th overall.
That draft and the two that followed took place before Shanahan and Lynch arrived in 2017, but since then the 49ers have continued to prioritize other areas, most notably the defensive line, over the secondary.
But 2024 could be the year in which the lack of investment at corner comes to and.
Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir have established themselves as an excellent starting pair, but both are free agents in 2024 and, even with a consistently rising salary cap, it could be difficult for the 49ers to hang on to both for the long term.
As such, it may be a prudent move by the Niners to select a corner in the top two for the first time in a decade and give themselves a player who can make an impact in the immediate future and in the long term on a team-friendly deal.
They are unlikely to be short of compelling options. In Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry, the 49ers may find one of the most consistent corners in college football over the previous three seasons on the board at 31st overall in the first round. He and Missouri's Ennis Rakestraw are both scheme versatile corners with the skill sets to star in year one, though neither would be under huge pressure to do so given the presence of Ward, Lenoir and recent free agent addition Isaac Yiadom.
Meanwhile, slot corners such as Mike Sainristil and Max Melton, each likely to still be available in round two, could fix a huge problem area for San Francisco and allow Lenoir to stop rotating between outside corner and nickel as he did during the second half of last season and in the 49ers' first two playoff games.
Offensive line may be viewed as a more pressing need and history says the Niners are much more likely to address the defensive trenches than the defensive backfield.
But cornerback, at least at the top of the depth chart, has turned into a strength for the 49ers. If they want it to stay that way long term and create more depth in the short term, it may be time for them to divert from their recent draft history.
49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir continues a profitable habit with latest NFL announcement
A boost to his wallet.
