John Kosko of Pro Football Focus (PFF) released his latest mock draft, projecting the San Francisco 49ers to pass on bolstering the trenches in the first round. Instead, he has them selecting Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with the 11th overall pick.
Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green are the 49ers' top options at outside cornerback. Lenoir, a fifth-year veteran, brings experience, while Green, entering his second NFL season, showed promise as a rookie. Per PFF, he posted a team-best 74.3 coverage grade among 49ers defensive backs. However, Kosko can envision the team strengthening the group by adding Barron.
"While [Missouri OT Armand] Membou would be a match made in heaven for Kyle Shanahan's offensive scheme, the 49ers patch their secondary with arguably the draft's best zone cover cornerback," Kosko explained. "Barron brings good instincts and quickness to replace Charvarius Ward. The Texas product's 90.7 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked third among [defensive backs]."
Barron's 91.1 coverage grade ranked second among all FBS cornerbacks in 2024. He tallied 67 tackles (three for a loss), a sack, 11 passes defensed, and five interceptions in 16 games, per Sports Reference.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 5-foot-11, 194-pound defender recorded a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, a 35-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot-3 broad jump.
PFF ranks Barron seventh on its pre-draft big board and second among cornerbacks. The analytics site describes him as a rare defensive back with high-level versatility.
"The word 'versatile' gets thrown around too much with defensive back prospects, but Barron is exactly that," PFF notes. "As a natural zone defender with excellent instincts and anticipation, he is a starting-caliber pro at safety, wide cornerback or nickel defender -- sometimes as all three in the same game -- for Cover 3- or quarters-heavy schemes."
Over five collegiate seasons, Barron amassed 226 tackles (21 for a loss), two sacks, 24 passes defensed, eight interceptions, two touchdowns, and a forced fumble.