With the 49ers in need of a nickel, it looks like they made a concerted effort to find one in Round 5.
At Pick 172, the 49ers selected Toledo corner Samuel Womack. He projects as a man-press corner who could be a direct replacement for K’Waun Williams at the nickel position.
In his post-selection availability, Womack said he expects to play in the slot based on his conversations with the 49ers and described himself as a physical corner who loves to get “hands on” and tackle.
He certainly fits in the Williams mold in that he is, well, diminutive and quick. He lists at 5’9″, 189 pounds and ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. Most projections had him going undrafted.
At Toledo, he set a record with 46 career pass breakups and tallied five career interceptions. He was named a First Team All-MAC player in his final season. He blamed his indecision between basketball and football for a lack of major football offers coming out of high school.
Speaking of high school, he grew up in Detroit, where he was high school rivals with the 49ers’ Ambry Thomas. Womack went to East English Village Prep and Thomas went to Martin Luther King High School. While he said he hates Thomas’ alma mater, he said the two have a close relationship.
“That’s my mans, that’s my brother,” Womack said.
Here’s some Toledo defense tape from Womack’s final game, when he had a 49-yard interception return against Middle Tennessee State.
