49ers Select CJ Henderson in Sports Illustrated's Latest Mock Draft

For the San Francisco 49ers, there has been a ton of debate as to what position they should take with the No. 13 pick. One of those positions is cornerback.

The NFL Draft is officially two weeks away. As the grandest offseason event nears, so does the anticipation and excitement. For the San Francisco 49ers, there has been a ton of debate as to what position they should take with the No. 13 pick.

One of those positions is cornerback. Despite having one of the best pass defenses in the league in 2019, the cornerback position is not set up for future success. Richard Sherman is 32-years old and outside of Emmanuel Moseley, there isn't any player that brings quality.

That is why in Kevin Hanson's latest mock draft for Sports Illustrated, he has the 49ers selecting Florida cornerback CJ Henderson with the 13th pick. 

"Richard Sherman turned 32 last month and three of the team’s top four cornerbacks (including Sherman) are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next offseason. Given his blend of size, length, speed and agility, Henderson has elite coverage skills. While the ball production wasn't there in 2019, Henderson had six combined interceptions in his first two seasons at Florida." 

For context, two of the top wide receiver prospects in CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy were already taken. That left only Henry Ruggs III available for them to select, who is not the ideal fit for the 49ers. 

If this scenario plays out when the draft kicks off in two weeks, then the 49ers taking Henderson is a very plausible scenario. The Niners do have a need at the position. As I stated earlier, cornerback is not setup for the future. 

Four of the players at the position are to become unrestricted free agents following the 2020 season. Henderson would give the 49ers much needed depth. If Moseley or Sherman goes down, then that would mean Ahkello Witherspoon would step into the fold. 

Given how he ended the season, he may not be the most trustworthy option for the 49ers. Not to mention that he is in one of the cornerbacks set to be a free agent after the season. There are plenty of quality wide receivers in this draft. It is oversaturated to say the least, so the 49ers can find someone later in the draft to solidify the position.

The same cannot be said for cornerback as once the first-round ends, there really isn't a point to select one until day three of the draft. Henderson would be great addition to the 49ers who could become the future successor to Sherman.