49ers Draft a Cornerback in Latest NFL Mock Draft

This pick is strange for a couple reasons.

Iowa State defensive back T.J. Tampa stands for a photo during media day at Jack Trice Stadium in / Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA

NFL Draft gurus still have no clue who the 49ers intend to pick in Round 1 this year.

Last week, the gurus all thought the 49ers would take an offensive tackle. This week, Pro Football Focus draft expert Sam Monson projects the 49ers to draft Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa with pick no. 31.

"T.J. Tampa fits the prototype of a 49ers cornerback," Monson writes. "He has had consecutive seasons of very impressive play and allowed just 240 yards on 49 targets last season. The team doesn’t necessarily need him to make an immediate impact, but they could certainly use a brighter future at one cornerback spot."

Monson's pick is strange for a couple reasons. One, he says that Tampa "fits the prototype of a 49ers cornerback," but doesn't explain what the prototype is. An explanation would have been helpful, considering their two starting cornerbacks couldn't be more different. Charvarius Ward is 6'1" and Deommodore Lenoir is 5'10". So what's the prototype?

In addition, the 49ers never have drafted a defensive back before Round 3 since 2017 when Kyle Shanahan became the head coach and John Lynch became the general manager. Maybe that's because Lynch himself was a third-round pick. Maybe he feels there's no good a reason to take a defensive back in Rounds 1 or 2 when he got picked in Round 3 and he's a Hall of Famer.

Or maybe the 49ers feel they play so much zone coverage that there's no need to spend premium draft capital on a cornerback who can match up man-to-man with the best wide receivers in the league.

Either way, I highly doubt the 49ers will draft T.J. Tampa in Round 1.