2020 NFL Draft: Dark horse teams to address each position early

Cornerback: San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers defense has very few flaws. After all, they finished first in pass defense, eighth in points allowed, and fifth in sacks. Their defense was the main impetus behind a dominant 2019 season and ultimately led them to the Super Bowl. So why would the best pass defense in the NFL target a cornerback early?

Well, one of the reasons they lost the Super Bowl was their inability to match up against talented wide receivers. Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins each put up over 95 yards receiving against the 49ers and caught key passes in the Chiefs’ victory.

The San Francisco cornerbacks didn’t contribute much to the early defensive dominance in this game, as they deflected only one pass and forced zero takeaways. The 49ers pass defense was great in 2019, but much of their success was due to the tremendous work of the pass rush and linebacking core.

Also, San Francisco may not need reinforcements at the position now, but they will be in dire straits next year. Five of their cornerbacks, including Richard Sherman, K’Waun Williams and Emmanuel Moseley, will be free agents following this season.

If the 49ers want to keep their Super Bowl window open, they will need a young cornerback who can develop into a premier defender. With two first-round picks at their disposal, San Francisco may be a dark horse team to take a cornerback early in the draft.