A three-star prospect out of Wekiva High School in Apopka, Florida, Renardo Green chose Florida State over Ohio State and had 164 snaps as a true freshman in 2019. Green’s first prominent season was 2021, when he allowed an opponent passer rating of 46.5 on 121 coverage snaps. That put him in line for more opportunities both outside and in the slot (especially outside), and in 2023, he gave up 31 catches on 60 targets for 290 yards, 103 yards after the catch, one interception, three touchdowns, 13 pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 75.0.
Green has just about every attribute you want in an outside cornerback except for prototypical size. I will be fascinated to see how his NFL team deploys him.
PLUSES
— Green is a complete pain in the ass when he’s pressed up on the receiver and follows to the boundary on anything vertical; he’ll glue himself to his guy, and he’s very tough to shake. Ask Malik Nabers about that re: the video below.
— Very smart in his transitions in man/match; he’ll move foot-for-foot with the receiver.
— Has a good sense of landmark switches in zone coverage. — Brings some value as a free blitzer in open space.
— Played just 18% of his snaps in the slot last season, but absolutely has the movement skills to deal with choice and option routes inside.
MINUSES
— Size (5′ 11⅞”, 186 pounds) shows up on contested balls downfield; Green had 13 pass breakups last season, but if he can time those better and use what height he does have, there could be more interceptions.
— Savvier receivers at the NFL level might have him in a box to start with their foot feints; Green can be led the wrong way with the right look.
— Not a run defender to any degree; Green will get blocked out pretty easily and his tackling is more gnatty than anything else.
— Physical style could lead to more penalties in the NFL, especially if he keeps face-guarding as much as he does now.
The Seminoles trusted Green to be a boundary corner at his size, and he responded very well for the most part. At the NFL level, I think he’d excel with a team that has multiple coverage concepts demanding that their corners see more of the field. He’s ideally an inside/outside defender with a lot of potential, especially as a press defender who can adjust after the snap.
Renardo Green, CB, Florida State
PLUSES
— Green is a complete pain in the ass when he's pressed up on the receiver and follows to the boundary on anything vertical; he'll glue himself to his guy, and he's very tough to shake. Ask Malik Nabers about that re: the video below.… pic.twitter.com/c00VFJvDXi
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) April 7, 2024
