San Francisco 49ers: Top 5 breakout player candidates

4. Ahkello Witherspoon, CB

The 49ers needed a jolt at the cornerback position in 2017, and second-round pick Ahkello Witherspoon out of Colorado provided it.

In 12 games with nine starts, Witherspoon racked up 32 total tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and a forced fumble.

He has excellent size and length at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, and does a great job of turning his hips and running with receivers with that kind of length.

He’s got great ball skills and can put on the brakes to change direction and break on the ball in the blink of an eye.

The 49ers are understandably giddy about his future prospects, and also the idea of pairing him with Richard Sherman, who will hopefully be 100 percent in the next month or two.

Witherspoon has shut-down potential and paired with Sherman gives the 49ers a very dangerous duo that can make plays on the football with regularity.