SANTA CLARA — On Thursday, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was asked about facing Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Having practiced against Darnold last year, Lenoir shared his thoughts on their matchup.
**Q:** You went up against Sam Darnold a lot in practice last year. Who do you think comes out on top now?
**LENOIR:** “I think I’ll win because Sam and I have this connection. He tends to throw the ball my way. I’m coming for him this week, and he knows it. I respect his talent and know he’ll be prepared. When he was with us, he gave us solid reps on the scout team, throwing some great passes. I’ll need to bring tight, sticky coverage.”
**Q:** Do you always feel this confident?
**LENOIR:** “I’m always tuned in to the little things. Even when they think I’m not paying attention, I can figure out where the ball is going and what they like to do.”
**Q:** Did Brock Purdy not have that same connection with you when he was on the scout team?
**LENOIR:** “No, not really. He was actually throwing dimes. I respected him for that. I’d catch him sometimes, but there were throws where I’d just be like, ‘Wow.'”
**Q:** Were you surprised when Purdy took the field?
**LENOIR:** “Not at all. If he’s throwing dimes against the best defense, when he faces weaker competition, he’s going to look like a Hall of Famer.”