Getty Jaylon Johnson of the Bears jars the ball loose against Allen Lazard of the Packers during a November 29, 2020 game.
For fans of the San Francisco 49ers who are hoping that the franchise uses their first draft pick — the 61st selection of the April 29 portion — on a cornerback, one NFL Draft expert mentioned one brand new possibility that will likely pique some interests among the faithful.
Why? The cornerback Daniel Jeremiah mentioned has been compared to Chicago Bears star Jaylon Johnson by his colleague Lance Zierlein.
The NFL Network’s draft expert took part in a conference call with reporters on Friday, February 25. A reporter who covers the 49ers fired off the burning question: Cornerback or offensive lineman for the ‘Niners in the second round?
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Who Jeremiah Mentioned
Jeremiah’s response?
“No, that’s a good question,” Jeremiah said via 49ers Web Zone. “Corners, I think it’s a solid group of corners.”
And along came the name Jeremiah described as a possibility for the 49ers: Kaiir Elam out of Florida.
“Where they’re picking, I’ll be curious, you know, where does Kaiir Elam end up going from Florida, who’s really, really tall. He’s a press corner. He’s got big-time makeup speed,” Jeremiah said.
In Zierlein’s draft evaluation of the 6-foot-2, 196-pound cornerback from the Gators, he tabbed the second-year defender Johnson as the incoming rookie’s NFL comparison. Johnson has been credited for blossoming into one of the Bears’ top cornerback options and a fast-rising lockdown cornerback.
Per Pro Football Focus, the former Utah Ute and native of Fresno, California didn’t allow 100 yards his side last season. He had eight games in 2021 of surrendering two receptions or less his side — including the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams (one catch for 13 yards) and the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals (two catches total for nine yards, didn’t allow Ja’Marr Chase to haul a single pass) in the first two weeks of the season. He’s allowed 82 catches on 144 targets through 1,039 coverage snaps in his career.
“I’m the smartest corner in the draft on the field and off the field.”
🗣 Utah CB Jaylon Johnson
Meanwhile, Elam was labeled as “the next up in a long line of talented Florida cornerbacks” by Zierlein.
Is Elam a Second Round Talent?
If Elam is indeed a Johnson-type for the 49ers, it’ll mean he’s a second round talent like the former All Pac-12 Standout. And if selected by the ‘Niners, he’ll join a young tandem of corners in Ambry Thomas and fellow Pac-12 representative Deommodore Lenoir (Oregon).
There’s one man who covers the 49ers through the Locked on 49ers podcast who has become a fan of Elam: Former NFL cornerback Eric Crocker.
I like the way Kaiir Elam carries himself
Elam’s game caught Crocker’s attention before the draft. In this clip, Crocker takes a liking to Elam’s eye discipline.
Kaiir Elam – In phase vs out of phase
1st rep: Even with receiver. Expecting back shoulder. Looks through receiver.
2nd rep: Get’s stacked. Never felt in control. Did not look back. Worked to potentially play through the hands.
I like where his mind is. Good eye discipline.
Elam has been credited for squeezing routes, not being fooled by play fakes and is built for press man coverage schemes — all traits that Johnson was given pre-draft.
But like every NFL Draft prospect, Elam has his flaws — some noted by Zierlein. In one excerpt of his evaluation, Zierlein wrote “he failed to play his best football in his final collegiate season.” Zierlein also spoke with a unanimous NFC scout who told the draft analyst this:
“I just think he got a little lazy with his technique (in 2021) but he will be fine. I like him.”
There were other flaws noted by Jeremiah.
“There’s some stuff in the transition that he struggled with a little bit, gave up a little bit of separation,” Jeremiah mentioned.
Jeremiah, though, sees the potential and the possible fit with the 49ers for Elam.
“But I think there’s a lot to like about him in kind of that range of where they (the 49ers) are,” Jeremiah said.