2020 NFL Draft: Justin Herbert goes No. 1 in first-round NFL mock draft
By John Newman
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Safety. 42. player. Cal. Ashtyn Davis. 32
The San Francisco 49ers front seven have been having a phenomenal season with the introduction of Nick Bosa. But with no member of their secondary, with the exception of Richard Sherman and K’waun Williams having more than one interception this year, this team needs help in the safety department.
With Ashtyn Davis in the 49ers lineup, the team gets the extra protection they need in the area where their defense is the weakness. This kid is good enough to play either free or strong safety, but he seems to do best as a strong safety, patrolling between the seams. But his overall athletic ability and speed make him a candidate to play at free safety as well.
He has shown the speed at Cal to patrol both sidelines, and an ability to drop his shoulders and run fast to catch up with receivers or runners that make their way through the front seven. At 6-foot-1, he isn’t going to be the tallest safety you’ve ever seen, but he more than makes up for it with his speed and ability to chase down opposing teams ball carriers.
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His draft stock may rise or fall depending on what we see at the combine, as he is playing for Cal after all, which doesn’t have a fearsome reputation as some teams do. But with Delpit being the clear standard bearer for safety in the 2020 NFL draft, Davis is more than just a cheap alternative. He has the skills and raw athletic talent to be useful on any NFL team and its doubtful he will make it far into the second round if he doesn’t get selected here.