The 2013-14 NFL season is really only just getting started for the 49ers with this weekend's playoff matchup, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a little mock draft madness. Our friends at Mocking the Draft (a.k.a SB Nation's mock draft site, led by Dan Kadar) have put together their latest NFL mock draft just in time for the height of bowl season.
Last night saw bowl season finally find some excitement. Texas A&M won a wild one over Duke 52-48 behind a monster performance from QB Johnny Manziel, and a key defensive touchdown late. It's safe to say Johnny Football did some good things for his draft stock.
We'll be back later this morning with our New Years' Day bowl thread, but in the meantime, I thought we'd open the morning by taking a look at Dan's latest mock. This marks his third mock draft of the year. His first mock arrived on December 3, and had the 49ers selecting LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. His second mock dropped last week on December 23. It featured the 49ers selecting Penn State wide receiver Allen Robinson. Sensing a pattern?
Well, we have a slight change to that. In his latest mock, Dan has the 49ers looking at a cornerback. He has the 49ers selecting Florida State cornerback Lamarcus Joyner.
Tarell Brown is a free agent after the season and Carlos Rogers didn't play particularly well this season. A player like Joyner can be a tone-setter in the secondary because of how physical he is against receivers.
Early last month (wow, December is already last month!), Nick Chiamardas put together some preliminary cornerback rankings. He ranked Joyner his No. 5 cornerback, and was a big fan of his as a guy who could make an impact from day one.
Joyner is intriguing in part because of his versatility. He came to Florida State as a cornerback, moved to safety, and has been back at cornerback this season. The 49ers put a lot of value into player versatility. Joyner could potentially move right into the mix at cornerback, but also provide some additional help in their other defensive packages.
What do you think of Joyner as a prospect?