The San Francisco 49ers released cornerback Tramaine Brock last Friday, and while extra cornerback depth would always be welcome, it added a bit of urgency. If the 49ers draft Marshon Lattimore with the No. 2 pick, I think it might have happened even with Brock on the roster. But additional depth is a little more important at the very least.
The 49ers set up an official visit with Lattimore, and we can add two more names to the list of visits. General manager John Lynch confirmed on Wednesday that the 49ers will bring in Colorado CB Chidobe Awuzie and Washington CB Kevin King for visits next week. A question came up about them on Wednesday because both were eligible to take part in the 49ers local Pro Day. Neither attended, but clearly they’re on the 49ers radar.
The 49ers cornerback depth chart faces all sorts of questions heading into the 2017 NFL Draft. With Tramaine Brock off the roster, and Jimmie Ward likely spending the bulk of his time at free safety, the depth chart includes:
Rashard Robinson
Keith Reaser
Dontae Johnson
K’Waun Williams
Will Redmond
JaCorey Shepherd
Prince Charles Iworah
So, umm, yea, the 49ers might need to draft a cornerback or two. Brock was entering the final year of his contract, so it’s not like there was a ton of depth before his departure. But that coupled with Jimmie Ward getting a look at free safety means cornerback will be addressed in the draft.
How much remains to be seen, but this year’s draft is viewed as one of the deepest for cornerbacks in recent memory. My guess is the 49ers come away with at least two, and maybe three cornerbacks, and at least one of them comes in the first three rounds. That’s not exactly a ground-breaking prediction, but I’ll at least put it on the record.