Pressing issue: Which cornerbacks will be most attractive to 49ers?

Asa Jackson has a unique claim among 49ers cornerbacks.

At 5-10, he's the only player under 6-1 who played outside cornerback for San Francisco in 2017. He played exactly one snap there in a Week 4 loss to Arizona when Rashard Robinson briefly left the field with an injury.

The others who played the position last season all had the height and long arms typical of a cornerback in the Seahawks-like, press-coverage defense: Dontae Johnson (6-2); Ahkello Witherspoon (6-2); Robinson (6-1); Greg Mabin (6-1) and Tyvis Powell (6-2).

All of which ought to serve as a guideline for which cornerbacks the 49ers are most interested in during free agency and the draft. Some of the names expected to be available:

Free agency

David Amerson, 6-1

Prince Amukamura, Giants, 6-0

Bashaud Breeland, Redskins, 5-11

Malcolm Butler, Patriots, 5-10

Vontae Davis, Colts, 5-11

Kyle Fuller, Bears, 6-0

E.J. Gaines, Bills, 5-9

Trumaine Johnson, Rams, 6-2

Rashaan Melvin, Colts, 6-2

Patrick Robinson, Eagles, 5-11

Draft*

Jaire Alexander, Louisville, 5-11

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama, 6-1

Mike Hughes, UCF, 5-11

Kameron Kelly, San Diego State, 6-2

Donte Jackson, LSU, 5-11

Josh Jackson, Iowa, 6-1

Isaiah Oliver, Colorado, 6-1

Denzel Ward, Ohio State, 5-10

* Of this group, only Kelly has been officially measured. The rest of the heights are from the players’ college bios, which tend to inflate the numbers.

This story was originally published February 14, 2018 at 9:05 AM.