49ers pick South Alabama CB Darrell Luter Jr. No. 155 overall originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SANTA CLARA — After taking a safety with their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the 49ers came back to grab another defensive back on Day 3.
The 49ers chose cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. of South Alabama in the fifth round of the draft with the No. 155 overall selection on Saturday.
Luter (5-foot-11 3/4, 189 pounds) had a big season in 2021 with four interceptions and 14 passes broken up. He has the flexibility to play on the outside, as well as move inside to play nickel back.
Luter figures to compete for a backup job at cornerback while also factoring into the mix at nickel back. He could earn his spot on the team if he is able to use his 4.46 speed on special teams.
He is the second defensive back the 49ers selected within their first four draft picks.
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The 49ers traded up Friday night to select safety Ji’Ayir Brown of Penn State in the third round with the No. 87 overall selection.
General manager John Lynch selected a cornerback to provide some much-needed depth for the secondary.
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The 49ers owned the NFL’s top-ranked defense during the 2022 NFL season. They ranked 21st in the league with a pass defense that allowed 222.9 yards per game.
The high number of yards allowed can be traced to the fact opponents were often in catch-up mode and were forced to throw the ball against the NFC West champs.
The 49ers, who finished with a 13-4 record, ranked No. 1 in the NFL in fewest points allowed at 16.3 per game.
The 49ers’ defensive backfield was more than just solid. The team allowed only 20 touchdown passes while also collecting 20 interceptions.
Cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir ended last season strong. They return as the no-questions-asked starters.
Lenoir showed steady improvement in his 16 starts after taking over for injured Emmanuel Moseley. Lenoir ended on a high note with three impressive games in the postseason. Moseley signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent.
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The 49ers’ depth at cornerback consists of Ambry Thomas, Samuel Womack and A.J. Parker.
Also, the club must find a replacement for nickel back Jimmie Ward, who signed with the Houston Texans as an unrestricted free agent.
Entering the draft, the most-likely individuals to line up against the slot receiver were expected to be Womack and free-agent acquisition Isaiah Oliver, who signed a one-year contract after five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
