A day after Kyle Shanahan confirmed Brandon Allen would be the San Francisco 49ers' second-string quarterback, defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen revealed the victor of another significant position battle.
The 49ers' makeup at the cornerback position was something an unknown heading into training camp, with veteran free agent signing Isaac Yiadom battling with rookie second-round pick Renardo Green for the third spot on the depth chart behind starters Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir.
Despite an ankle injury hindering his preseason, Sorensen said on Friday that Yiadom had won the competition. The former Denver Broncos defender, who last year enjoyed an excellent season for the New Orleans Saints, will likely serve as an outside corner on nickel downs with Lenoir kicking inside.
Green, though, will still be mixed in, with Sorensen saying: "Well how we’ve been going has been how it started out, with Ike and [Lenoir] DMo and [Ward] Mooney.
"And then we’ve been rotating guys through and getting a lot of reps with them as well. But that’s how it’s going right now. And Renardo rotating in."
Sorensen later articulated why he has been so impressed by Yiadom, who is now on his sixth NFL team.
"As I see him and what he’s done, I think the coolest thing is I feel like he’s a self-made man," added Sorensen.
"He is a worker. And I respect the hell out of people like that. Because anyone who I’ve ever played with or coached, that is really good, they usually work really hard.
"Obviously, there is talent. You can’t make it in the NFL if you don’t have like God-given abilities. But to either sustain a long career or to become an elite player, usually those guys work their asses off. I see that in him, so I’m not surprised.
"That’s what’s cool about Ike, is you see how serious he is and that’s just been consistent in my, however many years being in the NFL, both with teammates and with players that I have coached, there’s usually not a surprise and there’s no coincidence when those guys become what they become. I think he, maybe the surprise part would be, did he just figure it out later?”
Yiadom figuring it out saw him give up a completion percentage of just 38.5 last season, tied for the fourth-best among cornerbacks with at least 25 targets. He was ninth by yards per attempt allowed (5.1) and finished 13th by positive play rate allowed (35.9%), per Sports Info Solutions.
In short, Yiadom was quietly one of the better corners in the NFL last season, at least from a statistical standpoint, yet the 49ers were still able to scoop him up on a team-friendly one-year contract.
That deal has the potential to turn into a huge bargain and, if Yiadom continues on an upward trajectory that has come later in his career than might have been anticipated, the 49ers will have one of the best cornerback trios in the NFL.
Related: Kyle Shanahan's comments on Brandon Aiyuk could hint at role for exciting 49ers rookie vs. Jets
Local News
Comments / 0