Charvarius Ward has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league the past few seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. But now that he has left in free agency, the Niners are on the lookout for some help in their secondary.
In a recent mock draft by PFF's Mason Cameron, he predicts that San Francisco will prioritize defense and take Texas corner Jahdae Barron with the 11th overall pick in the draft.
"Charvarius Ward‘s departure in free agency has reintroduced cornerback as a need for the 49ers," Cameron writes. "Robert Saleh, back calling the shots for this defense, will undoubtedly be banging the table for this year's top prospect at the position. Barron is a versatile cornerback who would excel in Saleh’s quarters-heavy scheme after earning an 82.0 PFF coverage grade in quarters looks in 2024."
While Barron doesn't possess top-end speed, he can use his 5-11, 195-pound frame to be physical with opposing receivers, and that is exactly what he did in his time at Texas.
Barron finished his senior year with the Longhorns with a very solid 67 total tackles for a cornerback. He was also able to pick off opposing quarterbacks five times, which tied him for fourth in all of college football.
While it will be hard to replace a cornerback of Ward's caliber, drafting a proven player like Barron would be a start.
