Renardo Green exudes confidence. It was clear when the San Francisco 49ers rookie cornerback approached wide receiver Jauan Jennings after a practice rep, declaring he would have dominated the play if they were in pads. For a first-year player, that's a bold statement, especially to one of the team's most physical offensive players.
Green doesn't anticipate any rookie jitters as he embarks on his first NFL season. Where does that confidence come from?
"I've been playing football since I was five, and I feel like I done stuck top-tier talent," Green recently said in an interview with CBS News Bay Area. "I used to see it every day at Florida State, our opponents, I see it here, so I just got the most confidence in myself. I'm my biggest opponent."
The 49ers selected Green in the second round, adding to a cornerback group that could be among the best the team has had in recent years. The rookie shared that the defensive back who made the most impact on him during his first NFL offseason was Deommodore Lenoir.
"Just because of the flexibility he has in the secondary," Green explained.
While Green is eager to absorb whatever knowledge his veteran teammates offer, he emphasized that his collegiate experience has prepared him for whatever challenges the NFL might present.
"I went to Florida State, so all we did was play in big games," Green said. "And I played against the odds, played [in the] Saints' [Caesars] Superdome. You name it, we done did it. So, I got that in my background, in my back pocket. I'm just looking at it as I got to execute the call, and I gotta go make plays, and I gotta just be there for my teammates."