49ers Coaching Favorite Isaac Yiadom Slated to Start Week One

time for the 49ers Rush podcast you know it's it's funny that a lot of the narratives out there is that you know Kyle Shanahan's stubborn he doesn't change he doesn't learn he doesn't adapt he's always on this but I don't know I I I dive in and contribute a ridiculous amount of time to these roster constructions so does the whole team shout out to everybody who's helped with this like it's not just me but I I just man there's like 20 I I think I counted it was like 26 new players on the roster for the start of training camp compared to last year right and the biggest pivot that I've seen as far as roster construction goes is going from these red shirt players where you like let the young pups learn for a year and into immediate playing time to man 2024 49ers there is a dynamic shift into backup roles and kind of that not quite starter level to men that those are veteran jobs and even the young pups that were in line for those jobs man free agency came they said nope we're going vet and you know if you've listened to any of the shanan press conferences he he has repeated the phrase the moment's not too big for for them they've been around they've proven they can do it in the Heat of the Moment In the big game all these different days it's come through and none more important than number 29 on our list cornerback Isaac yam brought in on a one-year deal now whenever he got signed I was like man that's interesting because this is NFL journeyman ladies and gentlemen he' been on like a ridiculous amount of teams going into his seventh season drafted in 2018 he was drafted the same or he was drafted just a few picks off of after tarvarius more right so like if you kavus Street same draft so that's fun but he's bounced around hasn't been good everywhere he coming off his best year and it's not even a full year but the Niners saw enough to not only go get him they paid him $3 million we'll talk about the guaranteed M money and all that stuff man they put this dude right into the starting lineup straight out of at mini camp in OTAs like this dude hit the ground at the top of the depth chart and the 49ers got a lot of depth at cornerback so they love them now he's 29 on our list when we did our four ballots rank one through 91 I ranked him 25 I was the highest the lowest we had was 33 if we had to redo it you're bumping him up because this dude's starting he's going to be the number three corner for the 49ers it has been every single day and whenever one of the corners are out like charvarius Ward gets AR rest day he's the starting number two guy this guy is going to play starting snaps for the 49ers is that number three corner and if any injury happens to anybody he's your number two guy period he wears jersey number 22 and shout out to Josh executive producer of today's show 61 um big cat not going to lie like you look at just you know whenever we go through all the metrics and all the different whatever you know 61 and and comes in at about 192 there's some different numbers out there was what he's been in the league for seven years so those are going to kind of change at time times but 28 years old not like he's super you know old long in the tooth he's kind of he's all right 32 in arms that's not bad 4540 on the slower side but he's physical that's kind of the thing that stood out to him 6.85 now he's played a lot of snaps in the slot nickel roll 49ers say we want him on the outside only and that's the only place I've seen him take any snaps at training camp um but the shiftiness is there 352 in vertical 10ft broad jump nine bench press reps which is weird because that's bottom 5% of Corners upper body strength but man he plays physical he's a great tackler right so the bench press you know strength doesn't always translate to physical and tackler a lot of times it does but not always there are exceptions he is a great great tackler and the tape says that we have a full breakdown of him up on the 49 IR rush.com if you want to go see that sign up Frank gorer and and above get access to it but it's a fun tape I walked away watching him and I was just like man this guy he's going to play for us he has 49ers Corner written across his head because of the physicality the tackling the zero hesitation to his game the veteran experience played in so many systems including ours it just makes sense now you plug in all of his measurements into mck draftable listen to these names it's Sant Samuel jacobe Shepard Cory Webster way too many Eagles on that list to make me comfortable but physical guys U going into a seventh season he's from Massachusetts right W Wester uh it was a three- star recruit and you know finished at Boston College is where his final school was but you kind of look at I mean his story's awesome his parents uh Bridget and Isaac Ghana immigrants came here raised in Alexandria Virginia and was the number three recruit coming out of Massachusetts um had a lot of success there they were you know state championship team he was you know all state honors all this different stuff he got offered by Bryant Holy Cross in Connecticut all right take that for what you will and eventually found his way you know for all the way to Boston College which is awesome awesome drafted in the third round and so 99th overall in the 2018 draft by the Denver Broncos the Denver Broncos um but he's played very he he hasn't played a lot he has played a lot but for somebody that's been in the NFL for six years and just got a $3 million contract like you would think this dude started a ridiculous amount but it's not really the case he started 28 games in his career not a lot but he started eight games last year he's coming and so you're buying on a trend something clicked whenever you watch that Saints tape and it's just like this guy freaking belongs it's just what it is only had two penalties last year and again negatives I I could go back and forth he's only played over 50% of snaps once in his entire career and that was the 2020 New York Giants he had 58% snaps but he's the 49ers number three Corner he's only out there in N situations now the 49ers do that about 70% of the time can he hold on to that job does Renardo green Excel so well that they want to keep dador Lenor outside and move Renardo green inside H that's not going to happen till the by week I can tell you that now and I like Renardo green he's been playing well uh in training camp but this is yam's job it really really is now let's listen to let's let's go to Kyle real quick okay because when when Isaac yam showed up he was handed the starting position over Ambry Thomas rockins you know darl derell lutter Jr who they drafted last he took it and according to Kyle he kind of ran with it maybe if I hit the right button he has he had a really good OTAs um he's been really good at the line of scrimmage I mean he's been one of those guys too that just um you know we just got to know him in in the offseason but so locked in such professional and really stood out in and um picked up where he left off today you know that was the start of Camp whatever other people were kind of shocked he got those first team reps I've been telling you guys all off season this dude's going to get the first team reps um and he did now you look at 782 snaps last season not bad 47% of the snaps um 267 snaps on special teams that's a huge added bonus his PFF grades last year check this out 81.1 overall that's stellar 74.7 run defense Stellar 60 pass rush that's the neutral grade and nothing really to see there 86.4 coverage amazing 69.5 special teams nice with a half added on to it whatever not great but special team scores aren't usually as high as defense and offense because there's not that many steps so those are not bad like that would have been a top five for the 49ers last year and again jumped Ambry Thomas rightfully so derell lutter Jr and rocken at the show up they paid him more and he has not relinquished it he has impressed me continuously so let let's go through his NFL Journey gets drafted in the third round by the Broncos he's with them for two years doesn't work out goes to the Giants in 2020 that was it Greek Bay 2021 that was it goes to Houston 2022 right there we go then New Orleans the second half of 2022 2023 and that's where it finally turned on that's where the the switch flipped or whatever you want to say like that's where everything changed now let's go to the 49ers new defensive coordinator Nick swords on Isaac yam 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 he was kind of self-made like he works he's very serious um I think when he came to sign he he actually like went and got a workout after he signed like I've never seen that he's but that's him and I think that's what's kind of shown up with with who he is and he's very meticulous and and the stuff my bad 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 it's been awesome that we're seeing that now too he's very technical he's very strong and I think he's a guy that's also like we talk about Mooney being strong and a tackler he's got that in history as well like he's a tough guy he's physical he plays with his hands he's violent he's he communicates he sees things before they happen and that stuff is showing up and you know you talk about work ethic today I was at Trad camp this morning depending on when you watch this very first player out on the field very first one so he's putting the work in he's setting the tone it's a new team it's a one-year deal he has seized every single opportunity now has he been like the lockdown guy and on par with dador Lenor and charvarius Ward no but I can tell you this no cornerback behind him has gained ground on him does that make sense like there's tears there's demo and charvarius Ward they're by themselves I would argue the second tier it is just Isaac yam then there's a gap and then there's everybody else and there's a lot there because you know I just put out today I think is the best quarterback depth by a mile might even be the best position room on the 49ers offense or defense I think Ry packs I think wide receivers and I think Corners yeah like I don't have any issues with what's going on in this corner room it is solid now it's only going to be like this for what year because all the how many there's six cornerbacks on expiring contracts dador Lenor charar Ward abry toomas Rocky Chase Lucas Isaac gotam all one-year deals or last year of their contract there's only three quarters signed through 2025 right now seel wack derl lutter Jr and Renardo green that's it now obviously you're going to keep somebody from this group but who that is you know you kind of got to you know spin the wheel your guess is as good as mine he's a good player he really really is now you look at the contract one year 3 million but 1.375 was guaranteed 1.375 you know that's 375,000 more guaranteed than rocky sin who got brought in on a little bit lesser contract and believe it or not Isaac yam is making the second most money of the entire quarterback room behind charvarius Ward he's getting 13 million then you got yam getting three million then it's a bunch of rookie contracts right um or oneyear vets like Rocky or chase Lucas but they're again not getting near as much guaranteed or per year as Isaac yam the team is spoken this guy is getting all the shots and he's looked apart uh you know you know we we had the guy number 26 last year I won't throw his name out there but he came in and did look good and had some major issues yams looked good he's played 87 career games 87 he's got the experience the coaching staff loves him the work at I think speaks for itself this is cool to see and I don't know how long I this room sticking together for one year but it's crazy deep and yam rightfully so blogs at the top now is Renardo green going to take a spot inside and earn more playing time I think eventually this year probably but that's up to yam to lose that job and he clearly has it and I you know if you had to ask me okay who's the number three starting Corner week one dude I might be at 97% maybe 98% Isaac yam like it's that high the confidence levels through the roof so glad to have him and hopefully his journey stops here and hopefully he stays here you know he would be able this is the type of player that you could get on a discount if let's say he fits you could bring him back next year on the cheap you know three million this year but he balls out you sign him to a fiveyear $5 million deal next year like that's ideal we'll see if I can cut this clip next year maybe that's what it is but Isaac y makes this team better and I can tell you this I sleep better at night knowing that there is finally quarterback veteran proven depth with Isaac yam and if he doesn't pan out or inches Rock Yin Can step right into that role Amry Thomas ain't got a lot of faith in uh but early in the season I don't mind but remember where were we in the past to where where we are now the 49ers have improved dramatically and I'm excited to see this guy that's going to do it for us uh here on this countdown for number 29 and for the 49ers Rush we'll just keep counting down