The San Francisco 49ers appear to be doing their homework on cornerbacks. They were among the teams that spoke with Houston Baptist cornerback Chris Hardeman at the Rice pro day on Thursday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.


Hardeman, a transfer from Oklahoma State, ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the Prairie View A&M pro day on Wednesday and then followed that up with a 35.5-inch vertical leap on Thursday.

The 5-foot-8, 195-pound cornerback feels he can be a versatile piece to any NFL roster. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan loves players who can contribute in more than one area of a game.

"I think what separates me from others at my position is that I'm very versatile," Hardeman told The Gridiron Crew in January. "I can play corner, I can play nickel, and I can play safety. I may not be 6-1, but my versatility to the back end, I feel, makes up for it."

Hardeman believes a coach can put him in three different spots in the secondary and he won't miss a beat.

"Another thing is being able to compete at a high level on special teams and take pride in it," he continued. "I've done it all four years in college. Off the field, I take care of my business. I've never been in any trouble with the law and I love helping others, so I will be a guy that is helping out in the community any chance I get. I love making a difference in others' lives."