The San Francisco 49ers pride themselves on drafting players in the fifth round. George Kittle in 2017, DJ Reed in 2018, Dre Greenlaw in 2019, Colton McKivitz in 2020, Jaylon Moore, Deommodore Lenoir, and Talanoa Hufunga in 2021, and the newest selection, cornerback Samuel Womack.
With the 172nd pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected Womack out of Toledo. Womack is 5'9" and 187 pounds. He ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash. In 2021, Womack recorded 32 total tackles, two interceptions—with 58 return yards, and 15 pass breakups.
"Very highly productive player at Toledo," general manager John Lynch said on Saturday. "Can really run and very productive around the ball, all kinds of PBUs and playmaker rating as our R&D guys took a look at it."
Womack resembles a former Niner who played the nickel back position. His name was K'waun "The Shark" Williams. Williams was 5'9" and 185 pounds. However, during his collegiate career, Womack lined up more on the outside. According to Pro Football Focus, the cornerback lined up inside for 138 snaps and on the outside for 1,927 snaps. Womack had six penalties, and he never had more than one penalty per game.
Womack can mirror receivers in their routes. He's better in zone coverage than man coverage. Womack's 6.87 three-cone drill test shows he can cover receivers on routes. However, his most impressive characteristic is his ability to break up passes. Womack led the Toledo Rockets with the most pass breakups.
As of now, there is only one fifth-round draft pick that isn't in the "Fifth Elements." DJ Reed, drafted in 2018, was waived with a non-football injury and picked up by the Seattle Seahawks. The most successful five elements would be tight end George Kittle and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who is playing in the last year of his contract. Womack is a fifth-round selection and has a good chance of becoming one of the elites amongst the five elements.
Will that happen while lining up inside or outside for the 49ers? That is yet to be determined but the young cornerback believes his new coaches see him more as an inside player.
"[The 49ers and I] talked about playing a majority inside, as well as playing special teams," Womack told reporters after being drafted. "I also have the versatility to play outside and we talked about that also. This journey and this road that I've been on in getting to this moment, it was just so surreal. I really couldn't believe it."
