Mel Kiper projects DB to 49ers in updated mock draft
Mel Kiper Jr. on Wednesday released a new two-round mock draft. He projects San Francisco to take Nebraska defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt with the 61st overall pick.
Taylor-Britt has very good size and measured in at 6-foot, 197 pounds. He looks even bigger on tape though and flies downhill with sub-4.4 speed to deliver some big hits from the safety spot. Nebraska also had Taylor-Britt line up at cornerback where he also had a lot of success.
Here’s what Kiper had to say about the selection:
This is the 49ers’ debut pick in this draft, but this late in Round 2, they’re not going to be guaranteed to get a starter. They can take a need position, sure, but they shouldn’t reach to make it happen. Taylor-Britt makes sense because he has some raw tools with which to work and has the skill set to play multiple spots. He had 11 pass breakups last season. San Francisco signed Charvarius Ward but should add corner depth.
Positional versatility in the 49ers’ secondary is a plus, but they’re in a place with their secondary that a prospect like Taylor-Britt who can play multiple spots is extra enticing. They don’t necessarily need a starter right away, so they can afford to move him around to see where exactly his best fit is in their defense. If he emerges as a starting option at safety in Year 1, that would just be a bonus.
Taylor-Britt brings a ton of experience as well. He started 29 games across his final three seasons and played in 11 games on defense and special teams during his freshman campaign. By 2021 he’d earned team captain status. In 42 career games Taylor-Britt posted 140 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, six interceptions and 27 pass breakups.
If the 49ers do select a defensive back with their first pick, a player like Taylor-Britt would make a lot of sense.
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