Marcus Cromartie has some impressive items on his football resume.
First, he was a highly rated high school player in the state of Texas before playing four seasons at Wisconsin. For the Badgers he was a starting cornerback his junior and senior seasons and received all-Big Ten honors his senior season when he was in on 62 tackles, had 13 passes defensed and returned an interception for a touchdown.
And second, Cromartie comes from an athletic family that includes NFL defensive backs Antonio Cromartie, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith.
Yet after leaving Wisconsin after the Badgers’ 2012 season, Marcus Cromartie went undrafted.
Since then, he was signed by the Chargers as a free agent and has bounced from San Diego to the Cleveland Browns to the 49ers.
The 6-foot, 192-pounder has played in just three NFL games, all with the 49ers late last season after being signed in November.
Now, however, Cromartie is getting his best shot since entering the NFL, being part of the competition for a cornerback job with the 49ers.
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With the departure of Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver, there are some roster spots available, though the competition among young cornerbacks should be fierce. Tramaine Brock and Shareece Wright are the leading candidates to start going into training camp, but Dontae Johnson, Keith Reaser, Kenneth Acker, Leon McFadden and Chris Cook are also in the mix. The team has nine cornerbacks on its roster.
Yet Cromartie has had a solid offseason. During organized team activities (OTAs) and the recent three-day minicamp, Cromartie often was working with the first-team defense. He said that’s been a big help.
“Getting reps is going to make you a better player, especially when you’re with the first (unit),” he told a writer with the team’s website recently. “It’s going to have you play at a higher tempo and have you more precise with your communication. It definitely gets you prepared for game situations.”
Niners defensive backs coach Tim Lewis said he anticipates a competitive environment throughout training camp and the exhibition games, and will continuously shuffle corners in and out of the lineup to get opportunities.
Cromartie says he knows he’ll have to be very good – and steady – if he hopes to make the roster.
“Anybody can be good for one day, or for one game,” he told the team’s website. “It takes a great player to be consistent through the games and through practice, and that’s what I’m focused on.”
