© Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
SANTA CLARA — The 49ers used their two third-round picks to add athleticism on their defense.
On Friday evening, San Francisco selected former BYU linebacker Fred Warner and Southern Mississippi safety Tarvarius Moore. The 49ers originally had three third-round picks, but they traded the 74th overall pick as part of their trade with the Washington Redskins to secure the No. 44 selection, which they used on former Washington receiver Dante Pettis.
At 6-foot-3, 236 pounds, Warner is an elite athlete who can play either linebacker spot in the 49ers defense. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash, lifted 21 bench repetitions, and produced a 38.5-inch vertical at the NFL Combine. Warner compiled 239 tackles, 31.5 for a loss, 6.5 sacks, and seven interceptions in three years at BYU.
Warner fits the prototypical linebacker mold in today’s pass-friendly NFL. He primarily played outside linebacker at BYU, where he said he was matched up in the slot about 80-90 percent of plays.
“I thought his skill set really mimicked what we do,” general manager John Lynch said. “He is a guy comfortable playing in space, a very efficient linebacker (who) uses his hands well.”
The 49ers invited Warner as one of their 30 pre-draft visits. They told him they view him as a Mike linebacker, where he will compete with Malcolm Smith for playing time.
“I think that’s kind of why they like me so much, is my ability to play out and space and cover at a high level,” Warner said. “They really liked my ability to be able to break on balls, use my hands to strike defenders, and tackle, of course. I feel like I can fit in right away and do some damage.”
The 49ers added another dynamic athlete at the safety position when they selected Moore with the No. 95 overall pick. As a senior in 2017, he had eight pass breakups, tied for fourth-most in the country.
Moore was snubbed from the NFL Combine. He dominated his Pro Day, producing a 4.32 40-yard dash time, 38.5-inch vertical leap, and 11-foot-1 broad jump.
Moore will join a defense replete with experienced starting safeties, including Adrian Colbert, Jaquiski Tartt, and Jimmie Ward, who is expected to start OTAs at cornerback as Richard Sherman recovers from an Achilles injury. The 49ers extended Tartt’s contract through 2020 Friday morning.
Lynch said that Moore could also play some cornerback, explaining that refining coverage skills helps any safety.
In the third round, San Francisco added two dynamic playmakers to bolster its defense. It’s clear Lynch and Shanahan covet athleticism and multi-dimensional players as they continue to build the roster.
“We continued along with our goals of adding pieces to the puzzle, and then getting explosive and dynamic players to add to the mold,” Lynch said. “We are really thrilled to have done that.”