The 49ers appear likely to make a big investment in a cornerback when the free agent spending spree begins March 14, six weeks ahead of the NFL draft in late April. Corner will be the team’s most glaring hole in the starting lineup.
If they decide to bring in a veteran like Malcolm Butler, Trumaine Johnson or Rashaan Melvin, they could hold off on using their first-round draft pick on a cornerback and look elsewhere. If not, a pair of corners from rival schools in the Big Ten will take up chunks of the pre-draft conversation.
Iowa’s Josh Jackson and Ohio State’s Denzel Ward are largely considered the top two corners in the draft class ahead of the NFL scouting combine starting next week. Our friend Luke Easterling at Draft Wire pegged Jackson to San Francisco in another mock draft week, while ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Ward staying in red and joining the 49ers at pick No. 9 in his second straight mock.
Kiper’s take:
No change for the 49ers here, as Ward would give them a true No. 1 cornerback on top of a super talented front seven. Ward is polished, though he’s not huge (5-10, 191) like 6-2 Ahkello Witherspoon, San Francisco’s third-round pick last year. Ward had two interceptions and 15 pass breakups in 2017, and he plays the ball well and has good instincts.
Ward and Jackson have two different skill sets while the 49ers are specific in what they look for in their cornerbacks. Traditionally, corners are tall and have long arms fit the Cover 3-centric scheme best, while smaller corners are often relegated to the slot.
Jackson stands 6-foot-1 while Ward is 5-foot-10, giving Jackson the advantage on paper. Ward has long arms for his size, but we won’t know how their lengths compare until they measure in at the combine next week.
Ward is the more explosive athlete and will likely test better. He played with more physicality, particularly in run support. Jackson allowed just a 41.3-completion rate when targeted last season. Ward over his last two years: 32 percent. Jackson led the FBS with eight interceptions last season. Ward had two.
Ward could make up for his lack of size with recognition, footwork and closing speed. He might be superior in man-to-man coverage given his excellent mirroring technique, while Jackson elevated his draft stock with his ability to make plays on the ball.
For now, it’s hard to say there’s a right answer for San Francisco if they ended up having to decide between Ward and Jackson until they measure in at the combine.
The best bet? San Francisco lands a marquee free agent corner and looks for the best player available with pick No. 9 or 10, which might end up being a linebacker (Tremaine Edmunds, Roquan Smith), offensive lineman (Quenton Nelson, Connor Williams) or a pass rusher (Bradley Chubb, Harold Landry).
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