The 49ers have positioned themselves through free agency to take the best player on their board that fits their system with the No. 9 pick in the NFL draft next month.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper thinks that player is Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. That’s who Kiper projected would end up with San Francisco in his third mock draft of the offseason this week.
San Francisco picked up Richard Sherman before free agency started, but its defensive backfield still isn’t set. The 49ers could take the versatile Fitzpatrick and use him in a hybrid safety role in which he plays some slot corner too. He’s a true playmaker with the size and athleticism to play any position in the secondary. General manager John Lynch showed last year that he isn’t afraid to make draft-day trades, so this is a spot to watch for teams moving up.
Fitzpatrick (6-0, 204) doesn’t have the length typically associated with outside cornerback in San Francisco’s Seahawks-style scheme. But he would fit well as a roaming free safety or slot cornerback, which could mean he’s the long-term replacement to Jimmie Ward, who’s entering a the final year of rookie contract on his fifth-year option.
Ward is slated to be the 49ers’ highest paid defensive player in 2018 making $8.5 million fully guaranteed. That’s a risky proposition given his injury history. Ward ended the last two seasons on injured reserve with a fractured collar bone and forearm, respectively. He suffered four broken bones since leaving North Illinois for the 2014 NFL draft.
And because of the emergence of rookie seventh-round pick Adrian Colbert at free safety, the 49ers are trying Ward at cornerback this spring while Sherman recovers from two Achilles surgeries. Suffice to say, Ward’s future with the team is uncertain and Fitzpatrick could seemingly be a cheaper replacement on a rookie contract than Ward on a second deal.
By taking Fitzpatrick, according to Kiper’s projection, the 49ers would be passing on Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith (No. 10, Raiders), Florida State safety Derwin James (No. 11, Dolphins), Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (No. 12, Bills) and Boston College pass rusher Harold Landry (No. 25, Titans).
About the Author: Insidethe49
