ESPN mock draft: 49ers add CB with 1st-round pick
The 49ers are on the hunt for cornerback help in a recent mock draft from ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He has them selecting Georgia CB Kamari Lassiter with the 31st pick in next year’s draft.
It’s easy to see a scenario where CB is high atop the 49ers priority list in this year’s draft. Finding high-quality cornerback play isn’t easy and their depth at the position is lacking. A starting-caliber corner would allow them to bolster their starting unit while also strengthening their depth by moving players down the depth chart.
With the 49ers’ pass rush struggling this season it may force them to look into different ways of building a defense that don’t involve throwing more resources into the defensive line.
If San Francisco is investing in its secondary, Lassiter would appear to fit the mold. Here’s what Reid wrote about him:
If there’s one spot that lacks depth on the 49ers’ defense, it’s cornerback. An instinctive, agile and physical perimeter defender, Lassiter has broken out as a junior in 2023. He has the traits to quickly become an NFL starter, and it’s no surprise that passers are completing a mere 35% of throws into his coverage this season, among the top 50 in the FBS. Lassiter is also one of the country’s best tacklers and an asset as a run-defender.
A good cover corner who’s an effective run stopper would fit perfectly into the aggressive, attacking defense the 49ers want to trot out. This season Lassiter has 21 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks to go along with four pass breakups. He hasn’t notched an interception since his freshman campaign.
There’s a lot to hash out between late October 2023 and the draft in April of 2024. Other positions could certainly pop up as needs in the first-round for the 49ers. Offensive line and wide receiver are both areas they could aim to upgrade via a Day 1 selection. Cornerback may be the most pressing need considering their lack of depth, and Lassiter checks a lot of boxes they’d be looking for in a first-round CB.
