Deommodore Lenoir is Taking the 49ers Starting Nickel Job from Samuel Womack III

Deommodore Lenoir took over the nickel starting role for the 49ers over Samuel Womack III against the Broncos.

Looks like the momentum for the Samuel Womack III hype train has fallen off.

When the 49ers defense took the field against the Broncos, it wasn't Womack who came out as the starting nickel corner. Deommodore Lenoir stepped into that role for the first time all year. A bit of a head scratcher considering it hasn't looked like Womack has been too shabby at all. 

“We just liked how he's been looking," explained Kyle Shanahan on starting Lenoir over Womack. "We're always going to try to put the best people out there that we think gives us the best chance to win. And just from the last few weeks and watching him in practice and everything, we felt that was D-Mo and I was real happy with how he played too. I thought he was one of the better guys out there last night.” 

It shouldn't be shocking to see Shanahan give up on a rookie so easily. He is always extremist when it comes to the leeway he gives rookies. Womack never looked like a liability out on the field, but I won't neglect that perhaps his practice habits fell off. Becoming a starter may have gotten to his head and he just went on cruise control. Kind of like what was seen from Brandon Aiyuk last year. 

Shanahan will never tolerate that nor should he. And credit to Lenoir for doing his thing as well. He had a fine training camp and preseason, so now that he has had plenty of reps in the slot, his game looks to be getting fine tuned. Lenoir has a chance to put a stranglehold as the starting nickel corner for the 49ers. Consistently keeping his work rate high and plays made will sustain his status.

Otherwise, the starting spot will fall back to Womack or given to someone else.