SANTA CLARA -- When the 49ers put on pads for the first time last summer, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin found himself on the winning side of a complete mismatch during a one-on-one repetition.
Goodwin, one of the game’s fastest players, overmatched veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, who was returning from Achilles surgery and admits now he was in pain all last season.
The result was predictable.
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Goodwin is looking forward to going against Sherman again because he could tell from the offseason program and the first days of non-padded work during training camp that Sherman is a different man, physically.
“One million percent,” Goodwin said. “I so look forward to seeing him because people were raving about how I beat him in one-on-ones on his first play back after an Achilles tear. Of course, I’m going to win.
“I can’t wait to see what he does this year, being healthy, having that full year to play. And now coming back with the confidence of, ‘I’m back; I’m Sherm now,’ I’m excited to see what he does.”
Goodwin recently won the 40 Yards of Gold competition, hosted by former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson, to unofficially become the NFL’s fastest player. (Goodwin said he has still not been paid his $1 million prize money.)
Goodwin still is going to beat Sherman in a footrace, but it should be closer than last year’s mismatch. (Goodwin’s decisive win in the one-on-one deep route is shown in the below video, beginning at the: 40-second mark.)
Sherman is one of the leaders of the 49ers in his second season. He came to the 49ers last year after four Pro Bowl seasons in seven years with the Seattle Seahawks. And, for the first time in his career, Goodwin, 28, is now the most-veteran presence in the team’s receivers room. He is looking to become a leader, too.
“I’m the oldest guy in the receiving room, Jordan (Matthews) being the second-oldest,” said Goodwin, who’s looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued, 23-catch season. “It’s crazy because I’m only in my seventh year. I’m the oldest in the room. It shows you how youthful our room is and how much we have to look forward to.”
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Goodwin said he is taking it upon himself to assist the young group of wide receivers, which includes rookies Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd, as well as second-year player Dante Pettis.
“That’s not my job description, but I take it upon myself,” Goodwin said. “I want them to have the best career that they can, and if that means me staying after, running with them, catching JUGS, just talking to them, mentoring them, helping them with the plays.
“I’m just trying to win a championship. And I think that’s the mindset you have to have, being one of the older guys. You have to be willing to sacrifice what you have going on to help those guys and pull them along so we can get the whole team going in the right direction.”