San Francisco 49ers select Renardo Green in 2nd round of 2024 NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers have selected Florida State cornerback Renardo Green with the No. 64 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Green had a front-row seat to head coach Mike Norvell’s resurrection of the Florida State program after joining the program back in 2019. The six-foot-tall defensive back played in just 15 games in his first three years. However, in 2022, Green officially earned a starting role, helping lead the Seminoles to a 10-3 record that season. And instead of opting to declare for the 2023 NFL draft, he returned to Tallahassee, FL, to help Florida State finish last year 13-1, or rather 13-0, in the eyes of Seminoles fans. Green finished 2023 with 43 total tackles, 32 solo, 13 passes defended, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one interception.

Green played high school ball at Wekiva High School in Apopka, FL. As a member of the 2019 recruiting class, the former Florida State Seminole received a three-star rating with a ranking of 89. Internal, he stacked up against his peers; Green was ranked 423 nationally, 41 at the safety position, and 54 in terms of players to come out of the state of Florida, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Renardo Green

NFL.com gives Renardo Green a prospect grade of 6.34, putting him in the group classified as a ‘Will Eventually Be Plus Starter.’ NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein provided an analysis of the former Florida State cornerback’s ability and how it transitions to the next level.

“Pure press-man cornerback whose inspired coverage against LSU’s talented receiving corps should carry weight in his evaluation. 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.”

NFL.com also lists Green’s strengths as follows: Outstanding play against LSU’s Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr; Excellent change of direction to phase double moves and comebacks; Flows with bends of the route and stays in receiver’s pocket; Doesn’t allow bigger opponents to bully him for space; Sifts quickly through combo routes and adjusts coverage; Chokes the catch point with positioning and aggression; Reliable run defender near the line of scrimmage.

In terms of weaknesses, Green’s are listed as such: Physical playing style is likely to be penalized more in the NFL than it was in college; Face guards but fails to find the ball and time up catch disruption; Almost all of his touchdowns allowed came on fades; Average burst on the throw from his trigger; Needs to prove he can carry vertical receivers deep.