The 2021 NFL Draft is just over two months away. Several colleges are holding their pro days next month to give NFL teams a close-up look at some of the prospects.
The San Francisco 49ers have some needy positions that they will try to fill in the design. General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan are already doing their homework, trying to add pieces that will help the Niners get back into the Super Bowl fray next season.
Justin Melo from The Draft Network did a great job of letting us know which teams have been in contact with individual prospects. Melo reports that San Francisco has been in constant contact with Brevin Jordan, the University of Miami.
Lynch and co. could try to add one more tight ending to play alongside superstar George Kittle. Jordan had 38 receptions for 576 yards and touchdowns with the Hurricanes last season. The 49ers also have tight ends Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner under contract for 2021, while veteran Jordan Reed is on the verge of becoming a free agent.
One area where the Niners are sure to tackle this off-season is the secondary. With nine players of the unit able to perform for free, Lynch and Shanahan will most likely use one of their squads on the back line of the defense.
Melo says San Francisco had a virtual meeting with Oregon cornerback Deommodore Lenoir.
Lenoir, a senior, ended the 2020 campaign with 30 tackles, one interception, and a forced fumble. He is listed at 5’11, 195 pounds. Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus wrote a piece about the NFL prospects of every NFL team and chose Lenoir from Oregon.
Lenoir is a physical angle of 1.50 meters, 195 pounds. He can get to safety in the NFL because of this and because of his limited height / athletic combination. In his entire Oregon career, he missed only eight tackles out of 137 attempts. He has also been one of the most successful corner kicks in the press over the course of his career. He’s probably an early Day 3 guy at this point.
Melo stays with the Pac-12 and also says the Niners had a virtual encounter with Oregon State, walking back to Jamar Jefferson. As a junior, Jefferson was eligible for 858 yards and seven touchdowns in six games last season, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors. San Francisco hasn’t selected a running back since 2017, when Joe Williams was caught in the fourth round.
Jefferson is ranked 273 on PFF’s top 300 big board.
Melo previously reported that a few potential customers said they had a “great” meeting with the 49ers at last month’s Super Bowl. Minnesota cornerbacks Benjamin St. Juste and Darren Hall said their encounter with the Niners went particularly well, as did Ohio state defensive lineman Jonathon Cooper.
Due to the pandemic, the run-up to the trip will be different than under normal circumstances. Under NFL rules, teams can have up to five one-hour virtual conversations with individual prospects.
Which prospect of the names mentioned above excites you the most?