The San Francisco 49ers added some help to their secondary with their second-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, adding cornerback Renardo Green out of Florida State with the final pick in the round.
The 49ers picked Green (6-0, 186, 23 years old) after trading down one spot with the Kansas City Chiefs from pick 63 to pick 64. The trade also sent a sixth-round pick to the Chiefs (211th overall) and a fifth-round pick (173rd overall) back to the 49ers.
What will the 49ers be getting in Green? Let's take a quick look at what fans should know about the team's newest cornerback.
Where he fits
Green joins a cornerback room that includes Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Isaac Yiadom, Ambry Thomas, Darrell Luter, Chase Lucas, Rock Ya-Sin, and Samuel Womack. Green is a man-to-man corner who could line up in the slot for the 49ers even though he spent much of his time outside as a redshirt senior in 2023. He spent his 2020 and 2021 seasons in the slot and has also seen snaps at safety.
Green told reporters Friday night that the 49ers "kind of sort of" gave him an idea of how they plan to use him but that he'll be ready to line up wherever he's needed.
"I can personally play all three positions in a secondary, no matter if that's corner, nickel, or back at safety," Green said. "I can do it all. So really just wherever the team needs me, that's what I'm gonna do."
There will be plenty of competition in the 49ers' cornerback room throughout the spring and summer, and it's possible Green may have to wait his turn before getting looks as a starter. Green also told reporters he has a variety of experience on special teams, so expect him to spend time there as well.
Shining when the spotlight was brightest
Green gained plenty of experience at the college level, appearing in 52 games over five seasons while totaling 143 tackles, 22 passes defensed, 6.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one interception. In 2023, Green led the Seminoles with 13 passes defensed to go with 38 tackles and two tackles for loss.
Green stood out in the biggest test of his redshirt senior season when he faced an LSU offense that featured three first-round picks in quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels as well as wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas. Green held Nabers in check during the 45-24 win over the Tigers and picked off Daniels for his lone college interception, as can be seen in his highlight footage below.
"I proved it week in, week out, no matter who I was playing against, pressing them," Green said Friday. "That's one of the hardest things you can do a football, is press. And I was pressing everybody. No safety help over the top, me and him, one-on-one."
Draft projections
Green was rated as a fourth-round pick by ESPN.com, who graded him as the No. 15 cornerback in the draft and the No. 106 player overall.
"The 49ers had legitimate needs for a third cornerback, which could allow Deommodore Lenoir to stick at one position as either an outside or slot cornerback," wrote Matt Miller of ESPN.com. "The selection of Green should find Lenoir playing purely on the edge in 2024. A feisty man coverage cornerback with great short-area quickness, Green's instincts and ability to identify routes are what San Francisco has been missing at slot cornerback. That said, he was ranked No. 104 on my board, so this feels like a reach based on value. The need is there, but there were better slot corners left on my board."
Green was projected as a Round 3 selection by NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein.
"Pure press-man cornerback whose inspired coverage against LSU's talented receiving corps should carry weight in his evaluation," wrote Zierlein. "Green is patient to match the release and possesses good agility to recover quickly when beaten. Elite body control allows him to phase double moves and route breaks. He's quick to close and tackle when beaten. Physical play gets him flagged inside the route and he doesn't find the football often enough when routes travel downfield. He can improve in run support, but he's more than willing. Green might need safety help over the top, but his route tracing and catch restriction over the first two levels give him a good chance of becoming an above-average starter outside or from the slot."
Green ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 10-yard split of 1.53 seconds. He also posted marks of 37.5'' in the vertical jump and 10'10'' in the broad jump.
Dog mentality
Green described himself to reporters as a "dog" with a work ethic that is "second to none."
"You're getting a dog, a tenacious football player, an instinctive, athletic football player, and a versatile, smart football player," Green said.
With that mentality, Green thinks he'll fit in just fine on the 49ers defense.
"They fit me," Green said. "They play like some savages. They play like some dogs. Everyone flies around to the ball. Everybody makes plays on the ball and everybody comes to hit. Everybody comes to play. They are a high-energy attacking defense. They're not a defense that just sits back and let the offense come at them. No, they go and attack."
A history on both sides of the ball
Green attended Wekiva High School in Apopka, Florida, where he was a three-star prospect. The Seminoles fought off a late push by Ohio State and other schools to secure Green's signature in 2018.
Green told reporters Friday that he saw time at quarterback and wide receiver in high school in addition to playing in the secondary.
"It gives me different perspectives to see the field and it helps me like what my instincts and reads," Green said. "I trigger fast and process everything faster because I got more experience and knowledge than a lot of other people."
