The San Francisco 49ers coaching staff has expressed satisfaction with what second-round pick Renardo Green has produced to this point in preparation for his rookie season.
Green has attacked the challenge of playing both outside and inside cornerback, despite rarely playing in the slot at the collegiate level, and could yet emerge as San Francisco's third corner. Even if he doesn't, he will provide very useful depth as a rookie.
San Francisco traded back one spot before selecting Green, allowing the Kansas City Chiefs to move up and select tackle Kingsley Suamataia, a player the 49ers hosted for a top-30 visit prior to this year's draft.
The 49ers passing on Suamataia was something of an eyebrow-raising move given their long-term need at tackle and, though they are happy with Green, the former BYU lineman's progress in preseason for Kansas City points to San Francisco's decision in the second round being a huge error.
Suamataia had only four snaps in the Chiefs' preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, his lack of playing time a clear indication that Kansas City sees him as their starting left tackle.
The Chiefs' starters got more run in their exhibition tilt with the Detroit Lions on Saturday, Suamataia playing 24 snaps and catching the eye with his display as the offensive line kept Patrick Mahomes clean.
"I think he did alright, it looked like Pat had time. It didn’t jump out that there was a problem there, so that’s a plus," head coach Andy Reid said after the game.
Guard Trey Smith was more effusive in his praise.
"He’s just a strong player, obviously talented,” Smith said, per Jesse Newell of The Kansas City Star . “The front office does a great job of selecting players. He does an outstanding job and is only going to continue to grow.”
Where Suamataia stood out most was on plays where he was able to operate in space, the movement skills that were evident on tape in college readily apparent as the Chiefs made a conscious effort to get the ball in the hands of speedy first-round pick Xavier Worthy.
"It was great,” Suamataia said. "Got to showcase flying around the ball. Had a couple (running-play) end-arounds in the game — definitely got to go out there and fly around and show my athleticism. But it was fun being out there with the guys, just competing."
Suamataia's blend of athleticism and size would have made him a great fit for a 49er run game that uses a blend of zone and gap scheme rushes. With experience playing both left and right tackle, he could have immediately competed for the starting right tackle job with Colton McKivitz. Given how quickly he has established himself on the left side for Kansas City, the smart money says he would have won that competition.
Instead, Suamataia now appears to be instaled as the blindside protector for Mahomes and, as Newell writes, he looks to be ahead of schedule.
Green could prove an extremely smart pick by the 49ers if the ascends to a starting role either this season or next year, when both Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir are scheduled to hit free agency. However, in passing on Suamataia, they missed the chance to land a long-term starter at a crucial spot in the trenches and helped give their man who has twice dashed their Super Bowl dreams even more ammunition to continue his dominance.
There's a long time for things to change but, right now, the decision to take Green over Suamataia still looks even more questionable than it did on draft night.
Related: Three burning questions the San Francisco 49ers need to answer against the New Orleans Saints
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