Getty Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch talk during 49ers training camp on July 28, 2021.
With the next major NFL event happening in 12 days with the NFL Scouting Combine, the Indianapolis event serves as a prime opportunity for the San Francisco 49ers to figure out who can bolster the pass defense.
However, one NFL analyst already has an idea on who can help the ‘Niners in the future and who head coach Kyle Shanahan, general manager John Lynch and company can look into.
And this particular prospect happens to be a former college teammate of one 2021 49ers draft pick.
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The ‘Savvy Pass Defender’ Linked as a 49ers Possibility
In a Bleacher Report article from NFL writer Kristopher Knox called “The 1 Prospect Every NFL Team Needs to Grab in the 2022 NFL Draft,” Knox believes the 49ers don’t need to look far for an upgrade in the secondary.
The first state north of California, to be exact.
And the player Knox tabs already shares this roster connection: He’s a former teammate of fifth round selection Deommodore Lenoir.
The one prospect the 49ers need to grab per B/R and Knox: Cornerback Mykael Wright.
“Reloading the position in the draft would make a lot of sense for San Francisco,” Knox writes, who believes Wright will be a high draft choice. “While the 49ers don’t have a first-round pick because of their trade-up for Lance, Oregon’s Mykael Wright would be a solid second-round target. He’s a savvy pass defender with the adaptability needed to shine in coordinator DeMeco Ryan’s defense.”
Knox isn’t the only one from B/R who is high on Wright, who also hails from the L.A. region like Lenoir (Wright played his high school football at Valencia High and grew up in Lancaster). Draft analyst Cory Giddings called him a “fluid” and “versatile” athlete.
“Wright is a fluid athlete with quick feet and the versatility to play both the slot and out wide,” Giddings of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. “He shows to have the vision and awareness to excel in zone coverage.”
DON’T throw at Mykael Wright😤🔒
Giddings also called Wright “a tough, scrappy player who isn’t afraid to stick his nose into the action.”
Wright Once Drew Early Comparisons to Free Agent Pro Bowl CB
Wright was a four-star prospect and the state of California’s fifth-best overall prospect in the 2019 class by 247Sports).
Then at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, Wright was part of a deep group of Golden State talent that included one other prized addition to the Ducks: Potential No. 1 overall pick for the 2022 NFL Draft Kayvon Thibodeaux. National recruiting analyst Greg Biggins compared Wright’s game to Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Casey Hayward.
“Thick kid with a strong lower body and very physical in press coverage. Has both short area quickness and top end speed. Is a twitchy athlete who shows explosiveness getting in and out of his breaks and can turn and run with anyone,” was one excerpt Biggins wrote. “Potential early impact player at BCS level and high round NFL draft pick.”
Wright can also return kicks, as seen below.
COAST TO COAST. 🔥
Mykael Wright gives @oregonfootball the 1️⃣1️⃣ point lead going into halftime.
📺FOX
And he can seal off angles, plus erase potential touchdowns.
Mykael Wright = fast 💨
But regarding Hayward, here’s the irony involving him and Wright: Heavy on Jets writer Paul “Boy Green” Esden tabbed the veteran cornerback as a potential addition to bolster the 49ers’ cornerback unit, mentioned in this Heavy on 49ers story.
But with the scouting combine and Pro Days on the horizon, Knox believes one more Duck should be added to upgrade the corner unit in the Bay.
“San Francisco will likely need to fill at least one corner spot this offseason. It should be able to do so by targeting Wright,” Knox said.