Of all the position groups on the 49ers, cornerback might be the strongest one.
They currently have two good starters at the position: Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green. The 49ers can’t say that about many other position groups such as the defensive line which has Nick Bosa and that’s about it.
And yet, NFL.com’s Chad Reuter projects the 49ers to pick Michigan cornerback Will Johnson in Round 1.
“The departure of Charvarius Ward leads the 49ers to pick Johnson,” writes Reuter. “His lack of demonstrable elite long speed (he has not run a public pre-draft 40, thanks in part to a hamstring injury, and suffered a season-ending foot injury last year) might make him available here. Johnson’s ball awareness and secure tackling as a zone defender jibe with the zone-heavy scheme Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh leaned on when last together in 2020.”
Reuter makes a good case for Johnson. Because as good as Lenoir and Green are, it’s unclear if either one truly is a No. 1 lockdown cornerback. Johnson could be a young Richard Sherman in the 49ers’ defensive system.
Like Johnson, Sherman wasn’t particularly fast — he ran a 4.53 at the Combine. But in the Seattle Seahawks’ cover-3 zone scheme, he was a Hall of Fame player.
Sherman’s first defensive coordinator on the Seahawks was Gus Bradley, who currently is the 49ers’ assistant head coach. I’m guessing Bradley loves Johnson and would like to take him with the 11th pick.
We’ll see if head coach Kyle Shanahan gives the green light.
