49ers Draft Capsule: Defensive Backs

Whether the Niners go nickel or outside, they have visited with corners projected to go in every round from the 3rd round through the 7th.

Length has been a prerequisite for the 49ers draft picks at defensive back for years. That could change in this draft as the Niner targets include two 5-10 nickel backs. Whether the Niners go nickel or outside, they have visited with corners projected to go in every round from the 3rd round through the 7th.

Niners Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks picked DBs in free agency with size that can stop the run in starting nickel Isaiah Oliver and hybrid DB/S backup Myles Hartsfield, both at or above 200 pounds.

Tier 1: Top 75
Top 10 Christian Gonzalez (Oregon) 6-1/197
Top 10 Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) 5-11/181
Top 20 Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State) 6-2/198
Top 20 Deonte Banks (Maryland) 6-0/197
Top 50 Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi St) 6-1/166
Top 50 Tyrique Stevenson (Miami) 6-0/198
Top 50 Julius Brents (Kansas St) 6-3/198
Top 75 Kelee Ringo (Georgia) 6-2/207
Top 75 Clark Phillips III (Utah) 5-9/184
Top 75 Garrett Williams (Syracuse) 5-10/192
Top 75 D.J. Turner II (Michigan) 5-11/178

Tier 2: At the 49er picks in the 3rd
Top 100 Darius Rush (South Carolina) 6-2/198
Top 100 Cory Trice Jr. (Purdue) 6-3/206
Top 100 Eli Ricks (Alabama) 6-2/190
Top 100 Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU) 5-8/178
Top 100 Jaylon Jones (Texas A&M) 6-2/200
4th Round Riley Moss (Iowa) 6-1/193
4th Round Starling Thomas V (UAB) 5-10/194
4th Round Kyu Blu Kelly (Stanford) 6-0/192
4th Round Jakorian Bennett (Maryland) 5-11/188

Top 100 Darius Rush (South Carolina) 6-2/198 - The depth of talent at defensive back may push Rush down to the Niners picks. A converted receiver, he’s 6-2 with length, 4.36 speed, and excellent ball skills. He reads the receiver to then make a play on the ball. Rush had six pass breakups and two picks. His catch rate against was a high 58%, he’s best in zone.

Top 100 Eli Ricks (Alabama) 6-2/190 – Physical at the line, Ricks is one of the top cover corners in the draft with a best in the country 31.6% catch rate against. He has ball skills but not production as teams threw away from him. No picks this year, one in 2021, but four in 2020. He needs work on tackling, 13.3% missed tackle rate. 4.6 speed but stiff hips. He can get handsy. Ricks gave up just 77 yards passing in 13 games.

4th Round Riley Moss (Iowa) 6-1/193 – Moss has great speed at 4.45/1.48 and closes well with eight pass breakups and one pick this year. He excels in zone coverage. He has a 39 vertical and ran the fastest 3-Cone at Indy in 6.6. On the downside, he gave up four touchdowns and a catch rate of 47.7%. He has short arms and lacks physicality, his speed is straight line.

Trice, I think there’s more talented options. Hodges-Tomlinson is too small for a scheme that wants the nickel to provide run support. He’s played outside and has very limited snaps at slot. Jones has size and plays with physicality but had low production this year. Thomas has great skills but difficulty with larger more physical receivers. Kelly is best in the slot, and in Tier 2 the value is to get an outside corner. Bennett has tremendous speed but poor footwork to negate it.

Tier 3 – 5th and 6th Round
Late 4th-Early 5th Kei’Trel Clark (Louisville) 5-10/181 – The Niners are rumored to have high interest in Clark. His draft slot is a mystery, some have him late 3rd-early 4th, others in the 5th. It may be that the Niners have to trade down from 102 or up from 155 to get him. 4.42/1.49 speed, two pass breakups and a pick, but seven touchdowns against and a catch rate of 61.8%. Great feet, smart reads, can blitz and tackle. 16 penalties against in two years. Has a great skillset but needs to be coached up.

5th Round Darrell Luter Jr. (South Alabama) 6-0/189 – 4.46/1.57 speed with a 40.5 vertical, long arms with six pass breakups and a pick. Luter has a strong football iq to read routes and play with smart timing and hands. The concern is if he can handle the speed and power of the NFL, and overcome a weakness in change of direction.

5th-6th Round Terrell Smith (Minnesota) 6-0/204 – 4.41/1.50 speed with good length, Smith closes well to make plays on the ball with four pass breakups and two picks. He lacks physicality and has a missed tackle rate of 12.8%. Despite that, he had 4.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. The Niners have met with him.

5th-6th Round Mekhi Blackmon (USC) 5-11/182 – 4.47/1.54 speed with ball skills, Blackmon has eight pass breakups and three interceptions. He’s lanky and has trouble coming off blocks but once he does he’s a sure tackler. The issue with Blackmon is flags, seven penalties this year, he’s handsy.

6th Round Rezjohn Wright (Oregon State) 6-2/193 – Wright uses his size and length to make plays on the ball, six pass breakups with two picks. He hasn’t run a 40 at the Combine or his pro day citing knee issues. He has trouble with his hands in coverage, 12 penalties in two years. He attacks the catch point and has ball skills. He has size to defend the run but a missed tackle rate over 19%.

7th Round Kahlef Hailassie (Western Kentucky) 6-0/195 – He led the country in PBUs with 13 and had one of the fastest 3-Cone times at the Combine in 6.68. he hasn’t run a 40. Hailassie only had nine bench reps and a vertical of just 32.5.

Prediction

If Eli Ricks falls to the 49ers they need to consider drafting him, an underrated and elite cover corner. Rush has skills and a lot of room to improve as a converted receiver, but are the Niners willing to roll the dice on him with one of their third-round picks? Probably not. Moss could get a look given his speed, but his best NFL position may be free safety.

The more likely choice is out of Tier 3. It’s easy to see why they covet Clark, fast, smart, and plays aggressively despite his size. Drafting him is betting on Wilks and the defensive back coaches to elevate his technique. Seven TDs, 62% catch rate, and 16 penalties in two years are big concerns. Where Clark goes is unclear, the Niners may need to cover the gap between No. 102 and No. 155 to get him.

Luter and Smith have good tools but both lack physicality and face a tough transition to the NFL. Blackmon has similar issues to Clark in needing to be coached out of over-relying on his hands to cut down on his penalties.