When the 49ers drafted Florida Atlantic cornerback Keith Reaser in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, it was a pick for the future.
For Reaser, that future is now.
Reaser, who injured his knee during his final collegiate season, didn’t play in 2014 for San Francisco.
But he’s one of the reasons 49ers general manager Trent Baalke didn’t select a cornerback in the recent draft. After bringing in Reaser, Keith Acker and Dontae Johnson last year, Baalke believes the 49ers have some good, young talent to give the 49ers what they need in a competition that also will include veterans Tramaine Brock, Shareece Wright and last year’s No. 1 pick, Jimmie Ward.
Reaser could be a sleeper. At the NFL Combine, the 6-foot, 190-pounder showed both strength and speed, doing 22 reps on the bench press while also running an outstanding 4.32 in the 40-yard dash.
Now, with the 49ers’ organized team activities (OTAs) under way, Reaser is looking fit and ready to compete.
“Of all the young cornerbacks on the roster, perhaps Reaser is the most intriguing,” wrote Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, recently. “He has track-star speed to go along with good size.”
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Barrows noted that Reaser in OTAs has been playing on both the outside and in the slot and “reportedly has looked very good so far.” And, despite tearing his ACL at Florida Atlantic, Barrows says Reaser “seems to have retained his speed.”
Reaser signed a four-year deal after being drafted last year. He had good numbers at Florida Atlantic. In 40 games he had 158 tackles, five interceptions, seven tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
Reaser certainly seems eager to make the most of his opportunity this offseason, after having to sit out a year.
“I want to be great,” he tweeted recently. “Nothing less.”
