Out with the old, in with the new. 

That is what is taking place with the San Francisco 49ers kicker position. Rookie Jake Moody is now handling the place-kicking duties instead of steady veteran Robbie Gould, who, famously for some or infamously for others, has never missed a postseason kick.

But what can the Niners really expect from Moody in year one of his career? 

“I haven’t talked to him much since he’s been in San Francisco just because I want him to have his own identity," Gould, who shares an agent with Moody, recently told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco at the American Century Championship at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nev. "I think that’s important for him. I’ve been in situations where I leave and there’s a lot of comparisons [to the next guy]. For him, I just think he has to be who he is."

Ahead of Moody is a situation that most would dream of. He is a rookie kick on a team attempting to win a Super Bowl. It is both a blessing and a curse. If Moody isn't as advertised, it could be another blown opportunity for the Niners. But if Moody is as advertised, he will silence any doubters that said he wasn't worth using draft capital to bring in. 

But besides the pressure, what is Moody like as a player? Well, Gould has an answer for that as well. 

“He’s a rookie. I think he’s got a strong leg; I think he’s got an awesome mindset going into the season," Gould told Maiocco. "But like anybody else, when I was a rookie I think I kicked 75 percent. There’s a learning curve.

"Everyone’s going to look at the kicker position as the biggest question mark. I think he’ll come in and do a great job."

Strong validation from one of the best kickers to play the game. 

Feature image via Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK