It didn’t take long for veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom to raise eyebrows in the 49ers’ facility. In fact, it took about as little time as it can possibly take.
Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen spoke with media following Wednesday’s practice and talked about how Yiadom made an immediate impression with the 49ers by getting a workout in right after signing his contract.
“I think with Ike, he came into the league and he kind of bounced around for a while. But everything we had heard about him and you see is what he’s been when he got here,” Sorensen said. “He’s kind of self-made, like he works. He’s very serious. I think when he came to sign, he actually like went and got a workout after he signed. I’ve never seen that, but that’s him. I think that’s what’s kind of shown up with who he is and he’s very meticulous and the stuff that showed up later in the year with him and how he competed against a lot of really good receivers. I think it’s been awesome that we’re seeing that now too.”
While the hard-nosed work ethic caught the eye of the 49ers new DC, it wasn’t going to be enough to earn him a roster spot. However, he’s continued making his mark throughout his time with the club.
“He’s very technical. He’s very strong,” Sorensen said. “I think he’s a guy that’s also, like we talk about Mooney being strong and a tackler, he’s got that in his history as well. He’s a tough guy. He’s physical. He plays with his hands. He’s violent. He communicates. He sees things before they happen and that stuff has shown up.”
Yiadom was a largely unheralded signing by the 49ers late in free agency. His contributions as a pro have largely come on special teams, but he’s coming off his best defensive season which provides some optimism that he may have reached a point in his career where he can be a starting CB on a good defense. He’s also a high-quality special teams player.
It looks like Yiadom has an inside track to a roster spot in a crowded CB room. If he keeps making good impressions though he could wind up earning a starting spot.
