SANTA CLARA -- Deommodore Lenoir experienced a wide range of conflicting emotions during his rookie season.
Playing cornerback in the NFL is difficult enough. Last year, he dealt with tragedy in his personal life, as well as the life-changing responsibilities of fatherhood.
Lenoir, 23, revealed during training camp that he lost a cousin and his brother was paralyzed during a complicated 2021 season.
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After getting off to a promising start with the 49ers in his first year of professional football, he ended up inactive for the final games of the season. He did not suit up for any of the 49ers’ three playoff games.
“Dealing with death and certain personal situations, it does play a factor,” Lenoir told NBC Sports Bay Area this week. “When you do a job, you want everything around you to be protected and everybody to be safe. But it’s the real world, and it doesn’t always work like that.
“I felt like I wasn’t as focused as I should’ve been on what I needed to do and complete my job with everything that happened.”
Now, as the 49ers head into the second half of the regular season with a 4-4 record, Lenoir stands as one of the team’s most important players.
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He took over as a starting cornerback after Emmanuel Moseley sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers.
Lenoir had already moved up the depth chart ahead of Sam Womack at nickel back in Week 3.
He started 49ers’ past three games at cornerback following Moseley’s injury and figures to be in that spot for a while — at least until Jason Verrett is deemed ready to take on a big role.
“Deommodore Lenoir has really impressed,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said. “He’s played nickel. He’s played outside. Wherever he’s played, he’s competed at a really high level. It hasn’t been flawless, but it’s been really good. He’s got a lot of fight to him, and he’s a really skilled player.”
Lenoir expects to get tested a lot for as long as he is on the field. When opposing offenses game plan to face the 49ers, they are likely to target Lenoir rather than going after Charvarius Ward on the other side.
He will get beaten in coverage, no doubt. All cornerbacks experience the ups and downs of the position.
He has also learned — in football and in life — the importance of getting into a mindset of moving forward.
“I developed that going through college,” said Lenoir, whom the 49ers selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft from Oregon. “I was more of a person when something went wrong or something happened or I messed up or it was bad on my end, I was the person who I would let that get to me. Now, it’s short-term memory and I try to turn it into a positive.
“In this league, you have to be a tough person to go out and compete every game against the best of the best and be criticized. You have to have a tough skin.”
Lenoir experienced heartbreak and joy last year. His girlfriend, Arnise Williams, gave birth to the couple’s first child, son Titan, who turns 1 year old on Monday.
“Now, I’m not only playing for myself, I’m playing for my child, for my family,” Lenoir said. “It upped everything.”
The bye week comes at a time when Lenoir can celebrate his son’s birthday. He said there is also a lot of work to be done.
“I’m going to increase my film study and come back and try to be the best person I can be,” he said.
Lenoir said he planned to spend the first two days of the bye week watching video of himself to identify ways in which he can improve his play.
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Then, he’ll start focusing on the Los Angeles Chargers’ receivers and scheme with an eye toward making crucial plays in the Week 10 matchup on Nov. 13 at Levi’s Stadium.
He has not forced a takeaway in 21 NFL games, and that is something he is determined to change.
Said Lenoir, “I’ll try to find where the ball is going because I want turnovers.”