49ers 2021 NFL Draft Primer: Who Will Be successor to Jimmy Garoppolo
Top Targets in 2021 NFL Draft
Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
Yes, everybody who is anybody is connecting the 49ers to Mac Jones, and it appears to be an almost universal belief that Jones will be the pick at number three, but those who have made that prediction continually concede that is based on speculation rather than anything they have heard from sources connected to the team.
Until Jones is announced as the selection, there remains a chance that either Fields or Trey Lance will be the pick. Fields, with his accuracy to all levels of the field, his dual-threat upside and composure he has frequently displayed in the biggest moments, would be the best fit for San Francisco at number three.
Asante Samuel, CB, Florida State
It isn’t clear whether the Niners will have a more pressing need at outside corner or in the slot come next year’s offseason, so why not grab a guy who can play both in the second round?
Asante Samuel Jr. has experience on the boundary and on the inside as well as at safety and has consistently demonstrated instincts that suggest he should have little difficulty playing zone coverage in the pros, as the 49ers would ask him to do were he to land in their defensive scheme.
Samuel excels at breaking on the ball, is competitive at the catch point and plays with an aggressive mindset that extends to the run game and his tackling in the open field. A versatile prospect with NFL bloodlines, Samuel can immediately compete with the 49ers’ projected starters and is the ideal corner for them to develop into a mainstay in the secondary.
Carlos Basham, EDGE, Wake Forest
The Niners place a premium on the kind of versatility Samuel has showcased and Basham brings that to the defensive front. He was moved around the line by the Demon Deacons and displayed the ability to win around the edge with the kind of burst defensive line coach Kris Kocurek values extremely highly, with his balance and ankle flexion allowing him to flatten to the quarterback.
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Basham also boasts the quickness to win to the inside, making him a clear threat on stunts. He possesses a strong repertoire of moves, and his well-rounded skill set could allow the 49ers to also move Nick Bosa around and mix up their fronts, giving a defense that already presents opponents plenty of problems the chance to ensure offenses have even more to deal with in 2021.