The most underrated player on the 49ers is cornerback Deommodore Lenoir.
Of all the 49ers' foundational players, he's one of the few who's still ascending. And he can play two positions equally well -- cornerback and nickelback.
That's why Pro Football Focus ranks him 23rd among NFL cornerbacks entering the 2025 season.
"Lenoir’s first two NFL seasons yielded sub-60.0 PFF coverage grades, but his 2023 season represented a leap in performance to a 74.2 PFF coverage mark and a ninth-ranked PFF advanced coverage grade," writes PFF analyst John Kosko. "His two-year PFF advanced coverage grade ranks ninth among cornerbacks."
Last season, Lenoir gave up a mere 5.7 yards per target, a completion percentage of 50 when targeted and 0 touchdowns. So while he wasn't the most productive cornerback -- he broke up just seven passes -- he still was one of the best cornerbacks.
When Lenoir first started playing, he gave up lots of big plays. But the past two seasons, he has allowed just one touchdown catch in 32 games. Which means he's one of the most consistent and reliable players on the 49ers.
It will be interesting to see how Robert Saleh uses Lenoir this year. In four career seasons, Lenoir already has played for three defensive coordinators -- DeMeco Ryans, Steve Wilks and Nick Sorensen. He seemed to take his biggest leap last season, and he largely credited former assistant head coach Brandon Staley for his improvement.
Early indications suggest that Saleh will keep Lenoir outside this season. We'll see if that's the best way to use him. He was one of the best nickels in the sport last season.