49ers make Florida State CB Renardo Green a 2nd-round draft pick

The San Francisco 49ers selected Florida State cornerback Renardo Green with the 32nd pick (No. 64 overall) in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The selection came after moving down one spot, trading with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Chiefs received: 63rd overall pick and a sixth-round pick (211 overall)
49ers received: 64th overall pick and a fifth-round pick (173 overall)

College Statistics:
Green registered 43 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, 0.5 sacks, 13 passes defensed, and an interception through 13 game appearances as a senior in 2023, per Sports Reference. Throughout his collegiate career, he recorded 148 tackles, including seven for a loss, 0.5 sacks, 22 passes defensed, an interception, and a forced fumble over five seasons.

Lance Zierlein's NFL.com scouting report:
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 Draft Bio:

• 2019: Played in all 13 games as a reserve CB (six tackles, one tackle for loss, two PBUs).
• 2020: Started the first five games at safety (27 tackles, one PBU, forced fumble). Missed the rest of the year with a toe injury.
• 2021: Played in nine games with two starts at safety (14 tackles, one PBU).
• 2022: Honorable mention All-ACC. Played in all 13 games with 12 starts (58 tackles, three tackles for loss, five PBUs).
• 2023: Second-team All-ACC. Led the team with 13 PBUs. Started 13 games at CB (43 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss with 0.5 sacks, one INT).

Pre-Draft Grade:
Green earned a pre-draft grade of 6.34 from NFL.com, which equates to an "eventual strong starter," per the site's 8-point grading scale.

Projection:
NFL.com projected Green to be a third-round draft pick.

NFL Scouting Combine:
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Green posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.49 seconds, a vertical jump of 37.5 inches, and a broad jump of 10 feet, 10 inches.

Measurements:
Green is 5' 11 7/8" and 186 pounds. Additionally, he boasts an arm length of 31 1/4 inches and hands measuring 9 1/8 inches.

Hometown:
Orlando, FL

Pro Football Focus Big Board:
Green ranks 89th on Pro Football Focus' big board.

Pro Football Focus Grading:
Green earned an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 83.2 in 2023.

NFL Draft Buzz Summary:
Renardo Green as a prospect, exhibits a blend of raw athleticism and technical refinement, across the entire defensive backfield. As a senior he made a major performance step-up, however, despite these strides, questions linger around his consistency in run support and occasional lapses in coverage discipline, which NFL teams will scrutinize closely. Green's skill set offers a mix of physicality, agility, and football IQ, traits coveted at the next level. His ability to jam receivers at the line, coupled with the agility to recover and contest catches, positions him as a serious asset in man-coverage schemes. Yet, his game tape reveals moments of over-aggressiveness, leading to penalties, and challenges in maintaining hip fluidity against double moves and complex route trees. Looking ahead, Green's potential role on an NFL roster is promising, with the versatility to contribute both outside and in the slot. His progression at FSU demonstrates a ceiling that pro coaches will be more than happy trying to develop, particularly in press-man and zone schemes where his physical approach and ball skills can shine. Nevertheless, to carve out a significant role and maximize his draft value, honing his technique in run support and polishing his footwork and hip flexibility will be crucial. Expect him to ride the bench early in year one, but given his impressive coverage skills and ability to play both slot corner and free safety he could well be the starter come week seventeen.

Dane Brugler's draft profile at The Athletic:
Green is wired right for the position and clamps down in coverage with his awareness and physicality, which consistently allows him to compete for throwing lanes. However, he tends to get overaggressive with his contact at the top of routes (lacks top-tier athletic traits for easy recoveries) and is inconsistent turning to find the football. Overall, Green is a polarizing prospect among NFL teams, because he doesn't have desired size, speed or ball-tracking skills and won't be a fit for every scheme. But his play personality and ability to quickly find his balance mid-coverage helps him stay connected and will give him a chance to earn a meaningful role in an NFL secondary.