The San Francisco 49ers will be looking at any and all available cornerbacks in the upcoming NFL Draft. That's what happens when you lose two of your top CBs in free agency. Perrish Cox landed with the Tennessee Titans and Chris Culliver got sweet talked into signing with the Washington Redskins this offseason.
The good news for the 49ers: Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes is arguably the best defensive back in this year's draft class.
"Waynes is the top corner on our board and our 16th ranked prospect overall, making him an excellent value and need pick for San Francisco," Steve Muench of Scouts Inc. wrote. "He is a fundamentally sound cover corner with above average instincts, excellent top-end speed and the ball skills to develop into a playmaker. Plus, he's an above average run stopper for the position."
The bad news for the 49ers: Waynes may be gone by the time they pick. Now that the Minnesota Vikings have trade for Mike Wallace, the team's need for a receiver with the No. 11 overall pick has significantly lessened. Head coach Mike Zimmer is a defense-first guy and Waynes may be just the player he's looking for.
"I've said before I also think the Vikings could look at a receiver here, but with the top three off the board in this scenario, Waynes becomes a pretty decent value as the top cornerback in the draft," ESPN NFL Draft Insider Mel Kiper Jr. wrote in his Mock Draft 4.0. "The Vikings have a need there and, at a position where I feel like the transition from college to pro is as pronounced as it is at any place on the field, Waynes has the range of skills that add up to a guy who can help out early in his career. The Vikings are in decent shape up front, but they lack both depth and size at cornerback, which is no fun in this division. Again, you're facing Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Jay Cutler on the schedule six times a year, so depth at cornerback is essential, not just nice to have."
