During his appearance on the 49ers Unscripted podcast, presented by Microsoft Surface, Jimmie Ward shared what he's seen so far from the team's rookie DBs. Here's what he had to say:
CB Ambry Thomas
Thomas has been regarded as one of the fastest players on the 49ers roster, posting a 4.37 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. During the 49ers season opener against the Detroit Lions, Thomas returned four kicks for 70 yards (17.5 average).
Draft Pick: Round 3, 102nd-overall selection
College: Michigan
Games Played 2021: 1
Games Started 2021: None
"Well, Ambry Thomas is a little talkative. He's fast. He's quick."
DB Deommodore Lenoir
Lenior has had a strong start to the season while having to step in for an injured 49ers secondary. The corner has played 191 defensive snaps (90 percent), the most of any 49ers rookie and has aided in San Francisco's 16th-ranked short-handed passing defense.
Draft Pick: Round 5, 172nd-overall selection
College: Oregon
Games Played 2021: 3
Games Started 2021: 2
"He's totally the opposite (of Ambry Thomas). He doesn't say much at all. He's still fast, I'm not going to say he's slow. Ambry's a little faster, but he's still fast. Both of them are cool guys though. They can cover. They can man-to-man someone really good."
S Talanoa Hufanga
During his introductory press conference, Talanoa stated that his goal is to earn a Pro Bowl nod in his rookie season on special teams. Through three weeks, he has played 57 special teams snaps (75 percent).
Draft Pick: Round 5, 180th-overall selection
College: USC
Games Played 2021: 3
Games Started 2021: None
"He's a fun guy, a fun guy to be around. Amazing character. Of course, we all know he's an amazing football player. West Coast guy. I talk to him a lot. He loves to go to the 49ers community service events. He's cool. I'm trying to think about what not to like about this guy… He's going to be a great football player for the 49ers in years to come and he's doing his thing this year. That's a person I think John (Lynch) and Kyle (Shanahan) did a great job by bringing into the building."
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Hear from a 49ers player each week on 49ers Unscripted, the team's only player-focused podcast, discussing exclusive insights into the locker room. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
