The San Francisco 49ers did not have a first or second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but that did not prevent them from unearthing two big-time contributors.
Third-round picks Ji'Ayir Brown and Jake Moody received recognition for their year one performances as they were each named to the All-Rookie Team by the Pro Football Writers of America.
Safety Brown was the 49ers' top pick in the draft and ascended to a starting role after All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga tore his ACL in a Week 11 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brown played a pivotal role in clinching that victory, sealing it with an endzone interception after registering three pass breakups in the game.
Brown also had a pass breakup and an interception in the Week 14 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
The former Penn State star ranked 20th in Pro Football Focus coverage grade among safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps. He was 18th in run defense among safeties with at least 100 snaps in that area of the game.
Kicker Moody has received constant scrutiny since the 49ers took him with the 99th overall pick, with a missed game-winning attempt against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6 and subsequent struggles versus the Minnesota Vikings in primetime a week later not helping his reputation.
But Moody was drafted because of his ability to make long-range kicks, and he demonstrated that with a clutch 52-yard field goal in the divisional round win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Moody was 21 of 25 on field goals in the regular season, giving him the highest successful field goal percentage (84) among rookies. He also converted a league-high 60 extra points, missing only one. Still, it is the misses that stick in people's minds.
While it is too early to say a top-100 selection on Moody was justified, the reality is he has largely delivered what the 49ers expected as the successor to Robbie Gould.
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