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Hartsfield is an explosive athlete with experience in safety and the lock
So I got blocked on Twitter by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. A few seasons ago, he wasn’t happy with some of my analysis of Jimmy Garoppolo. Needless to say, when he reports something related to 49ers, I won’t have the information unless it’s through another reporter.
Earlier Saturday afternoon, Garafolo reported that the 49ers have reached an agreement with Myles Hartsfield, who was initially a restricted free agent with the Panthers, but Carolina did not offer him.
Hartsfield was an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss in 2020. He played under new Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Wilks last season, where he played 812 snaps. Of those, 343 made it into the slot, while 256 got into free safety. So another versatile option in the defensive backfield for the 49ers.
Hartsfield is a great athlete. On his Pro Day, he ran a 4.39-yard sprint of 40 yards with a vertical of 38.5 inches. Ole’s former miss, who turns 26 in August, finished the season with 58 tackles, including five for loss and a forced fumble. Hartsfield allowed a 64.7 completion percentage on 34 targets, with two touchdowns allowed and a pair of pass breakups.
Tarvarius Moore signed with the Packers, so Hartsfield takes his place as a super athlete who can contribute to special teams. You can never go wrong with speed. Last season, Hartsfield played in every special team unit.
I checked with a Panthers friend and he said Hartsfield is a solid cornerback:
“4 core STer too. High level of understanding of nickel run-fits. Good blitzer from the edge, reliable tackler, and gets to his spots efficiently in the zone. The only problem is man to man coverage imo”
So Isaiah Oliver, Samuel Womack and now Hartsfield will compete in the slot. That is, unless Wilks liked what he saw from Hartsfield in free safety.
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