The San Francisco 49ers could use some help in their defensive secondary, which is why they may turn to an undrafted free agent rookie to shore up coverage on the outside.
Even though he did not hear his name called at the 2025 NFL Draft, Jakob Robinson is believed to be a dark-horse candidate to make the Niners when training camp breaks in about two months.
The Niners have a need to shore up their cornerback position, which is why they have been tied to superstar corner Jalen Ramsey. But if, as expected, Ramsey ends up in Los Angeles, the Niners expect to go into the season with Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green at cornerback.
Why Do People Believe Jakob Robinson Will Make The 49ers?
It’s a tall ask for any undrafted free agent to make an NFL roster. They’re at the extreme bottom of the depth chart, since there were little-to-no resources spent on them.
But undrafted free agents can also be cheap, and they work hard. Every year a few qualify for an NFL roster, and players who are chosen end up on the chopping block.
So even though Robinson signed a non-guaranteed contract with the 49ers out of BYU — where he was a three-year starter after transferring from Utah State — and he is no higher than seventh on the 49ers’ cornerback depth chart, the SBNation blog Niners Nation recently added a post that gave him a chance to make the team.
“[He] has been miscast because he weighs 180 pounds, soaking wet,” Kyle Posey wrote. “Robinsonâs arms are longer than rookies Jahdae Barron and Will Johnson, and half a fingertip shorter than [Buffalo Bills first-round pick] Maxwell Hairston. Like Barron, Robinson also ran a 4.39 40-yard dash (87th percentile) during BYUâs Pro Day.”
Posey added that Robinson has a slew of other enviable traits, including his versatility and ball skills, since he had 11 interceptions, 21 passes defended and one fumble recovery in his four years at BYU.
Throw in nine tackles for loss, and Robinson is effective both at defending the pass and plays at the line of scrimmage like bubble screens and jet sweeps, and can play almost any position as a defensive back.
“Players who have consistently had a nose for the football donât suddenly lose that skill once they turn pro,” Posey wrote. “Robinson has also bounced back and forth from playing in the box and deep at free safety. There isnât a position in the secondary Robinson hasnât played.”
Can Jakob Robinson Make The 49ers?
He certainly is capable of making the team’s practice squad. But any sort of trade or acquisition — especially involving Ramsey — may throw a wrench into Robinson being one of the 53 names to appear on San Francisco’s roster.
Still, Posey likes Robinson’s chances, especially since he’ll be squaring off against the Niners’ hungry group of receivers. If he excels, Robinson could very much be in the mix.
“Heâs the type of player who slowly but surely rises throughout training camp,” Posey wrote. “Robinson should excel during 1-on-1s. Heâll go against a young group of wideouts who the coaching staff will keep a close eye on, as the offense looks to find someone to step up in the place of Brandon Aiyuk.
“To me, that means a defensive back will stand out.”
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