San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans says everyone is competing during training camp and the preseason. No one is assuming anything. Instead, players are fighting for roles this season. That includes the competition between Darqueze Dennard and rookie Samuel Womack III for the nickel cornerback job.
Womack made a strong case for himself with two interceptions during Friday night's preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. The rookie cornerback hauled in two interceptions on the way to a 28-21 49ers victory. While the performance may have been a surprise to many, it was no surprise to Ryans.
"For Womack, those are plays you saw him make in college," Ryans told reporters after Sunday's practice. "He was always sticky in coverage, contested, contesting the throws, a lot of PBUs, a lot of interceptions in college. So I've seen him make those plays. Seeing him make those plays in the game as well. Seen him make those plays in practice. So it wasn't a surprise that he was sticky in coverage. He was exactly where he needs to be, and a smart player making really big-time plays for us.
"Womack, he has to continue. He's another guy who just has to continue to improve off of what he's done. He made two good plays but he has to continue to improve his technique. Everything that we ask him to do, he has to continue to get better and excel at all those things."
Womack feels he's had an easier transition from college to the NFL than most others. He has credited the Toledo Rockets football team running a similar coverages to that of the 49ers defense. Ryans, however, acknowledges that it is much more than the defensive similarities between the 49ers and his collegiate team.
"Credit to Womack; he's a smart player who's detailed in what he does," Ryans explained. "He studies off the field. He's asking questions on the field, in the meeting rooms. So he's a very smart guy who has what it takes to make it in this league just by his mental makeup. So that does give him a head-up on guys just because of the mental makeup, and he cares about what he's doing. He cares about what he's putting on tape, so that's going to allow him to go far if he continues to do what he's doing."