49ers sign 3rd-round pick Ahkello Witherspoon
May 12, 2017 at 2:06 PM
•
The San Francisco 49ers have signed rookie cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who played college football at Colorado. He was selected with the second pick of the third round in the 2017 NFL Draft. That leaves just three draft picks unsigned – first-round picks Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster as well as third-round pick C.J. Beathard.
Witherspoon played at Colorado in 2014 after spending the previous year at Sacramento City Community College. He appeared in 10 games and started one before becoming a part-time starter the following season. Through his final two years with Colorado, Witherspoon had a total of 59 tackles, 25 passes defended, and three interceptions.
The 6-foot-3 and 198-pound Witherspoon was one of three members of Colorado's secondary who earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors and was tied with teammate Tedric Thompson for first place in the nation with 23 passes defended in 2016 – one of which was an interception. He also made 23 tackles and had an interception last season.
According to
Pro Football Focus, Witherspoon allowed just a 31.8-percent catch rate and a 50.9 quarterback rating when targeted in 2016.
Thanks to the 2011 CBA, all rookie contracts are now for a length of four years. Only first-round selections come with an option for a fifth year, which does not apply to Witherspoon. Having set numbers for each spot eliminates the need to negotiate salary and only leaves items like bonus payment terms, roster bonus allocations, and other miscellaneous structural items.
The total value of Witherspoon's four-year contract is believed to be $3,373,572, or very close to that amount,
according to Over the Cap. That includes a signing bonus of $973,572 and a 2017 salary cap figure of $708,393.
Related News
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Anthony "Spice" Adams to announce 49ers' draft picks in 2nd and 3rd rounds
NFL Communications has officially announced the "NFL legends and active players" who will announce selections during Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Representing the San Francisco 49ers will be former defensive tackle Anthony "Spice" Adams, who spent four seasons with the team and nine in the NFL.
San Francisco selected Adams out of Penn State in the second round (No. 57 overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft.
The NFL's full announcement is below.
In the NFL's continuous effort to connect the game's greats with the next generation of stars, NFL Legends and active players will add to the excitement of the 2024 NFL Draft by announcing various selections and participating in festivities in Detroit.
Pro Football Hall of Famers Isaac
What to know about 49ers first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, and what the team said about the receiver position
The San Francisco 49ers had a number of intriguing options available in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night but decided to add University of Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr. at pick 31 overall, bypassing players such as cornerbacks Cooper DeJean of Iowa and Kool-Aid McKinstry of Alabama and defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton of Illinois.
What should fans know about Pearsall and where he fits in with the 49ers? And does it mean anything regarding the future of Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel? Let's take a look.
What the 49ers like about Pearsall, and what general manager John Lynch said about the wide receiver situation
The 49ers appear to be excited about the overall package that Pearsall brings to the table, particularly his
7-round mock draft from The Athletic sees 49ers fortifying defense early
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
7-round mock draft: 49ers trade up to fortify secondary
The San Francisco 49ers first selection in next week's draft comes at No. 31 overall. However, NFL Media analyst Chad Reuter doesn't have the Bay Area team remaining at that spot in the first round. In his seven-round mock draft, he envisions the 49ers striking a deal with the Green Bay Packers to move up six spots to No. 25 overall, where they select former Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Reuter notes, "Whether it's for a cornerback like McKinstry, an offensive lineman or a receiver, the 49ers could very well give up a mid-round pick to acquire one of the few missing pieces on an otherwise potent roster."
The rest of the mock draft reveals at least part of the
