The San Francisco 49ers have fallen victim to a frustrating trend this offseason, and not by their doing. First, it was Brock Purdy who was disrespected by a flurry of underwhelming preseason rankings. Then it was the team as a whole that was rated just 11th by ESPN, in terms of roster quality.
Now, the latest Niner to receive disrespect from the public is cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, who was left off of ESPN's latest list of top 10 cornerbacks.
Whether he was deserving or not, his team will need him to use it as fuel for the fire in 2026.
Lenoir was named as one of the cornerbacks who received votes from execs, coaches, and scouts, but did not crack the list. By PFF's standards, it was the right call, as the young cornerback still has room to improve.
However, fans can only hope he treats it as motivation heading into a season where the Niners defense will lean on him heavily in the defensive backfield. With no one else boasting a premier pedigree in the secondary, the 49ers are in danger of being a team that is extremely vulnerable through the air.
That is, unless Lenoir can reach the heralded status of a true top-10 cornerback.
It is up to 49ers on how to respond to disrespect
Though the 49ers consider themselves to still be in their championship window, it appears as though NFL pundits strongly disagree. Now, the Niners are left with a choice. They can buy into the lack of appreciation for their squad, or they can use it as motivation. If they chose the latter, they can adopt the "underrated" persona and play with a chip on their shoulder.
Lenoir will be at the epicenter of this. He leads a secondary that is considered to be one of San Francisco's weakest areas, and much will be asked of him in 2026.
If he succeeds in this endeavor, the 49ers will have a clear edge over one of their division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, who also failed to put a cornerback on ESPN's list.
Regardless, Lenoir will be looked upon to carry a heavy workload this year. Now entering his sixth NFL season, he will (hopefully) be the recipient of many ill-fated passes as the improved Niners' pass rush hopes to cause havoc in the trenches. Only then will the former Oregon Duck establish himself as a premier lockdown corner.
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