Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley saw his role with the San Francisco 49ers increase after an injury to Ahkello Witherspoon forced the second-year defender into the starting lineup. He was ready for the opportunity, and the task never felt too big for the defender.
"Just whenever my number is called, I've got to be ready," Moseley told Mark Willard of KNBR on Friday night. "Every week, I prepare myself like I'm going to be a starter, and I can't wait to have Ahkello back, and we're going to get rolling."
Willard asked Moseley what happens when Witherspoon is ready to get back onto the field. Is Moseley prepared to relinquish his starting role back to Witherspoon, or does he hope his play forces the coaching staff to make a tough decision?
"I don't know, man," Moseley responded. "I'm just a player. I let the coaches doing the coaching. I just play."
Moseley is grateful for the opportunity to prove himself. San Francisco signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2018. There were many moments during the draft when Moseley didn't think he would have an opportunity to pick his destination.
Nobody likes a tease. Moseley shared what last year's draft process was like as he waited to hear his name called.
"The first day, they told me I wasn't going to go," Moseley said, "but the second day, I had teams call me and was like, 'Hey, are you ready for us to come and get you?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, of course.' But that never happened, unfortunately.
"It never happened, but then when I got the phone call from San Fran (after the draft), I knew that's where I wanted to be, and it just worked out perfectly."
Added Moseley: "[The other NFL teams] would say, 'Hey, we have this pick coming up, and you're our top guy, so be ready.' But it just never happened."
Moseley never received an explanation from those NFL teams, which was okay with the defensive back because he felt the 49ers were the best opportunity for him.
"[The other teams] called me after for free agency, but I already had my eyes on San Fran, and it just worked out perfectly," Moseley said.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Moseley below.