Former 49ers draft pick found immediate redemption after roster cut

The Tennessee Titans utilized their top waiver wire priority to claim four players, including cornerback Samuel Womack, who was recently released by the Indianapolis Colts. Womack, originally a fifth-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2022, struggled to secure a significant role early in his career with the team that drafted him.

Despite the 49ers' decision to part ways with him last summer, Womack has since improved his performance. During his lone season with the Colts, he became a valuable contributor to their secondary, recording 36 tackles, nine pass deflections, and two interceptions across 17 games. Pro Football Focus awarded him solid grades of 71.3 in coverage and 71.4 overall, ranking him among the top half of qualified cornerbacks.

Womack, though undersized at 5-foot-10 and 189 pounds, is noted for his ball-hawking abilities, electrifying speed, and strong collegiate background as a three-year starter at Toledo. He led the Mid-American Conference in pass breakups from 2019 to 2021, demonstrating his capability to cover receivers effectively.

With the Titans, Womack is expected to compete for playing time behind starters L'Jarius Sneed and Jarvis Brownlee Jr., provided he recovers fully from a knee injury. His opportunity will involve vying for a role against 2025 sixth-round pick Marcus Harris and veteran Darrell Baker Jr.

Womack's resurgence after leaving San Francisco can be interpreted in two ways: either as a criticism of 49ers General Manager John Lynch's impatience and development system, or as validation that the 49ers identified a talented late-round prospect who simply needed more time to flourish elsewhere.