San Francisco 49ers: 7-Round 2019 mock draft after Week 17

By Randy Gurzi | Dec 31, 2018

TUCSON, AZ - NOVEMBER 25: Wide receiver N'Keal Harry #1 of the Arizona State Sun Devils runs with the football after a reception past cornerback Jace Whittaker #17 of the Arizona Wildcats during the first quarter of the Territorial Cup college football game at Arizona Stadium on November 25, 2016 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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SOUTH BEND, IN – NOVEMBER 04: Julian Love #27 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is knocked out of bound by John Wolford #10 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons after an interception at Notre Dame Stadium on November 4, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Round 2: Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the 49ers have gone wrong on defense. According to NFL.com, they’re 24th in the league in scoring with 25.8 points per game given up, However, they’re only 10th in yards surrendered and 12th in both pass and rush defense.

They can limit yards, but they struggle to stop opponents from scoring, and a struggling offense that gives up short fields surely isn’t helping. Hopefully, the return to health for Jimmy Garoppolo — and the addition of a No. 1 receiver in the first round will help them become a better team on both sides of the ball. Keeping the ball longer could result in a fresh defense that plays better.

Of course, adding more talent can help as well. While they can use several positions, the defensive backs likely need the most work. Richard Sherman has brought some veteran leadership, but they can use some fresh legs.

That’s where Julian Love comes in. Not as big of a corner as Sherman, the 5-11 Love is a corner who excels in mirror coverage. He can stick with receivers and has excellent anticipation. Having him work alongside someone as experienced as Sherman will only help him reach his potential quicker.

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