Round 4: 49ers take LSU cornerback who had trouble staying on team

SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers are loading up on defensive backs in the middle of the draft. After taking Will Redmond in Round 3, they selected Rashard Robinson from LSU in Round 4 Saturday. Robinson has good height -- 6-1 -- for a cornerback, and he apparently did a nice job against former first-round pick Mike Evans in a game against Texas A&M in 2014. He weighed 171 pounds at the scouting combine but says he is up around 180 pounds now.

Robinson, however, had eligibility issues at LSU and didn't play in 2015. He also was arrested in June, although Robinson, on a conference call from his home in South Florida, said that case was thrown out. Due to eligibility and suspensions, he started only eight games at LSU. He has good speed, running a 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds at his pro day. He finished his carer with 33 tackles, one interception and four pass break ups.

Robinson said he had no interaction with 49ers general manager Trent Baalke or head coach Chip Kelly. But he did have a meaningful, face-to-face meeting last week in Florida with the 49ers’ team pastor Earl Smith.

“It was just a great meeting,” Robinson said. “We sat down and we related about a lot of things. Just hearing his story and him listening to mine -- it was a good feeling.”

This story was originally published April 30, 2016 at 10:58 AM with the headline "Round 4: 49ers take LSU cornerback who had trouble staying on team."