Turns out there were Pro Bowlers who became locked in on the performance of one San Francisco 49ers breakthrough performer from Friday, August 12 in the 2022 preseason opener.
Samuel Womack delivered quite the stir in the Bay Area, snatching two interceptions in his NFL debut versus the Green Bay Packers. The Twittersphere was set ablaze with the slot cornerback (or nickelback) becoming a trending topic among NFL fans and analysts who watched the game on television.
But there were two Pro Bowl talents who spoke vibrantly about the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder’s night — one who watched it unfold on the sidelines and the other who won a Super Bowl while establishing himself as a perennial Pro Bowler.
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Tyreek Hill Among Those Who Watched Womack
The first Pro Bowler who reacted to Womack’s night? Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins.
“Cheetah” posted this on Twitter after witnessing Womack’s second takeaway.
26 from the niners nice 👏🏿
And that pick came when Womack was playing his inside slot CB spot during a third and long situation:
Have a day, @SamW0mack! That’s his 2nd INT of the game.
📺 #GBvsSF on KPIX
Turns out, both Hill and Womack could line up against one another this season. Hill’s newest team, the Dolphins, will visit the 49ers on December 4 at Levi’s Stadium. That game is also going to involve former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel drawing plays to counter the 49er defensive backs including the one who snatched the spotlight in the 49ers’ preseason debut.
Hill had the couch and TV view of Womack’s night. But one other Pro Bowler had a closer view — and gave his reaction to the Bay Area media.
Veteran All-Pro on Womack: ‘He’s Just Real Scrappy in There’
The 49ers’ All-Pro inside linebacker Fred Warner was decked in 49er warmup clothes and a hat while taking a break from busting out tackles, as he was one of the veterans who took a rest night for the preseason outing from the sidelines.
But Warner himself was left in awe of how the fifth rounder out of Toledo performed and gave a personal scouting assessment of his new teammate.
“He’s just real scrappy in there,” Warner told The Athletic’s David Lombardi after the game. “The way that he covers, he uses his feet really well to just cover guys instead of trying to be too grabby. I think the length (of his arms) really helps him, kind of being a shorter guy. But I love his tenacity, the way he competes.”
Womack didn’t just impress with his ball skills, but also his coverage against the Packer wideouts. Per Pro Football Focus, Womack was tested twice — and didn’t surrender a pass to his side. And that was on 17 coverage snaps which earned him a 93.7 grade by the national analytics website. Only he, second-year safety Talanoa Hufanga and free agent pickup George Odum from the Indianapolis Colts were the only defensive backs who didn’t surrender a reception their side in more than 10 coverage plays.
Turns out, Womack was more than prepared for former first round selection Jordan Love. Lombardi mentioned how Womack worked with the first team defense in some repetitions during training camp and earned some pass breakups facing Trey Lance. Womack told reporters that he’s gotten used to taking what’s being given to him.
“I’ve just been getting used to recognizing the plays and recognizing what’s coming at me, the speed and the different routes,” Womack said postgame. “The routes are more complex, what they do at the top of the route, how they run their routes is more deceptive for sure. I’ve just been getting ready and getting used to that every day and just trying to get better at that.”
Well, his big plays have already caught the attention of two Pro Bowlers: One he plays with and the other on the 49ers’ schedule this winter.
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2 Pro Bowlers Rave About 49ers’ Breakout Rookie Cornerback