NFL Mock Draft 5.0: Could Saquon Barkley fall to the Redskins at No. 13?

The San Francisco 49ers have a gaping void at the cornerback position. Rashard Robinson, once hailed as the team’s answer there, quickly let it be known that he was, in fact, not the answer in 2017. He was promptly traded. The team drafted Akhello Witherspoon in April lat year. He showed promise. And he should only keep growing. But he can’t work alone.

While the Oakland Raiders preferred playmaking ability and star potential, the San Francisco 49ers make this pick with their mind on mechanics and athletic ability. Ward is a cornerback who will measure out as a bit undersized at the combine, but on the field, he makes up for his short stature with his athletic prowess and fundamental acuity.

Ward comes from Ohio State, a school with a long lineage of successful NFL defenders. In recent years, names like Joey Bosa, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore, and Vonn Bell come to mind. If you look back further, you’ll see names like Malcolm Jenkins and Cameron Heyward. This school has produced more than enough to make the NFL notice, and many see Denzel Ward as the next player to add to that list.

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Ward is a polished product, and on the 49ers defense, he’ll be able to fill in right away and compete, whether the team favors him on the outside, at nickel cornerback, or in a mixture of the two roles, due to his size. Ward is the type of player John Lynch will love, and he’s a perfect compliment to the talent already on that defense.