The 49ers have some much-needed competition with the cornerback group. At-best, this addition can compete with Ahkello Witherspoon and Tarvarius Moore for a starting job. At worse, he’s depth.
The San Francisco 49ers finally addressed the secondary. The team selected Virginia’s CB Tim Harris with the No. 198 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound defensive back put on a show at UVA’s Pro Day last month. He ran a 4.43 40-yard dash, posted a vertical jump of 39 inches and had a 139-inch broad jump. The last two categories would have placed him tenth and first among cornerbacks at the NFL Draft Combine.
There is one huge concern: Harris has played six (6) football seasons at Virginia. This is due to numerous injuries putting him out of commission. He suffered a shoulder injury for 2015 and 2016, and a wrist injury in 2017. While looking at the positives, this makes him a perfect fit for the 49ers, a team that had a laundry list of injuries in 2018, there’s no mincing words: can he hold up for a 16-game NFL season? Especially when the rest of the 49ers backfield couldn’t.
The 49ers were seen to have a solid group of cornerbacks going into 2018, but that was quickly proven wrong with the hot and cold play of Ahkello Witherspoon and Richard Sherman’s recovery from an achilles injury lingering into the season. They also have Tarvarius Moore coming off a rookie season where he converted from safety to cornerback. And don’t forget K’waun Williams to man the nickel corner spot with Jimmie Ward filling in.
Unfortunately, aside from Sherman and Williams, these players are either unproven, unable to stay healthy, or both. Competition is needed to solidify the cornerback unit. Maybe this latest addition will rise above the rest and solidify things.
Highlights:
49ers draft picks
1. First round: No. 2 overall Nick Bosa, Defensive end, Ohio State
2. Second round: (36 overall)Deebo Samuel, Wide receiver, South Carolina
3. Third round: (67 overall)Jalen Hurd, Wide receiver, Baylor
4. Fourth round: (110 overall) Mitch Wishnowsky, Punter, Baylor
5. Fifth round: (No. 148) Dre Greenwood, linebacker, Arkansas
6. Sixth round: (No. 176) Kaden Smith, tight end, Stanford
7. Sixth round: (183 overall) Justin Skule, OT, Vanderbilt
8. Sixth round: (198 overall) Tim Harris, CB, Virginia
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