The San Francisco 49ers have lost several pieces on both sides of the ball in free agency as the roster re-tooling continues - whether it's intentional or not.
As some teams around the league are getting desperate for a young quarterback, and being forced to stretch for one in early in the first round, that will leave several key players on offense and defense for teams like the 49ers who appear set (at least for now) under center.
With the No. 11 pick, NFL Network thinks the 49ers will replace the recently departed Charvarius Ward with Texas Longhorns corner Jahdae Barron.
"The 49ers' defense has seen a lot of departures this offseason, including at cornerback," NFL Network wrote. "Barron is one of the most consistent players on tape among prospects in this year's class and he can take the ball away. He'll be able to match up against some of the talented slot receivers in the division."
The Longhorns had a ton of talent on both sides of the ball last year and will lose much of that to graduation and the NFL Draft.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein had this to say in Barron's NFL Draft profile:
"Big nickelback was in the right place at the right time throughout his impressive 2024 season. Barron played smothering coverage underneath, fueled by route recognition, footwork and play strength. His instincts allow him to pounce on catch points or tackle pass catchers immediately from zone. However, he lacks recovery speed deep and can be a little too grabby at the top of the route in man.
Related: Ex Browns Quarterback Hired as Assistant Coach of NFC Contender
"Tackle technique in run support is a shade inconsistent but looks easily correctable. The size and tape work in his favor as a physical nickel who can be an early contributor and future starter, with the potential to cross-train as a safety."
BookmarkAll49ersfor news, commentary & opinion all season.
FollowTimm Hamm on Xfor all the college football & NFL news, updates & analysis throughout the season.
Make sure to check outFanStreamSports.comfor the latest sports news and opinion.
Related: Mel Kiper Jr. Solves Browns Quarterback Issues in Latest NFL Mock Draft
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 12:12 PM.