Deommodore Lenoir is an Underrated Anchor on the 49ers' Defense

Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir has risen to the occasion and is building upon his strong finish from last season.

The defense of the 49ers completely suffocated the Cowboys' offense in Week 5.

Nothing could go right for the Cowboys offensively, while everything went perfect for the 49ers defensively. Fred Warner led the way with a monstrous outing by getting a sack, a forced fumble, and an interception. However, the only reason Warner managed that interception was thanks to the brilliant pass deflection by cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. 

To go along with that forced interception, Lenoir allowed only two receptions for 14 yards on five targets. He had himself a stellar outing, and that has been the case since Week 1. All season long Lenoir has been a solid player starting opposite of Charvarius Ward. Having one excellent starter at cornerback is usually good enough for a team to have. It's a tough position to fill and have two adequate players at. But the 49ers have that with Lenoir who is on the rise. 

Lenoir is an underrated anchor on the 49ers' defense. He deserves his flowers. Playing as the No. 2 cornerback on a defense typically means that the opposition will attack them more often. Lenoir has risen to the occasion and is building upon his strong finish from last season. Thanks to him, the 49ers finally look well rounded in the secondary. I asked Kyle Shanahan on Monday's conference call about his thoughts on Lenoir establishing himself as an anchor.

“I think Demo’s been huge for us," said Shanahan. "I thought it started that way last year. The way he finished last season, the second half I thought he was playing at extremely high level. He took that into the offseason, he's continued it this year. I think his play's been very good and I think last night might've been his best game of the year so far.” 

What's even more impressive with Lenoir is that he is able to kick into the slot as well. He never played that in college, only on the outside. But in typical 49ers fashion, they like to force players out of position. Keeping Lenoir on the outside is pivotal for his continued rise, and it's optimal for the defense as well. When the 49ers kick Lenoir inside, they end up playing Ambry Thomas and offenses immediately attack him. They don't do that when Lenoir is out there because he is legit. 

The 49ers' defense is filled with premier players, so it does take some digging before getting to name Lenoir. But he still deserves to be recognized as a player who is an anchor on the defense.