Losing All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga should've left a sizable hole on defense for the San Francisco 49ers.
However, that never was the case thanks to rookie safety Ji'Ayir Brown. He shrunk the hole left by Hufanga with some impressive performances. In his seven games started (playoffs included), Brown showed exactly what it was that made the 49ers draft him.
At the scouting combine on Tuesday, general manager John Lynch was asked about what he thought of Brown's rookie season.
“I was real proud of Ji’Ayir. You talk about interviews, we were just talking about them earlier. He made a tremendous impression, not only on the tape but his interview was one that grabbed us. And I think when it's unanimous and everyone's got that feeling, Ji’Ayir’s a special human being, a special young man. But then he went and showed that, and nothing's just given in our league. And Ji’Ayir didn't pout early on when he wasn't playing. He went and excelled at special teams.
"We had two guys in Huf and Gip that were pretty good players. And what he did is sit back and never wasted a day lamenting the fact that he wasn't starting. He picked their brain, he learned from them such that when he got his opportunity, he could shine. And that's exactly what he did. We're really encouraged about Ji’Ayir moving forward. He had a pick in the Super Bowl, but it's a lot more than just the picks. The guy's a stud. And we're fortunate to have him.”
The 49ers are certainly fortunate to have Brown, but should credit themselves as well for pulling the trigger on drafting him. They saw a player who can play coverage nicely, break at a moment's notice against the run, and be a ballhawk by reeling in three interceptions in his seven starts. Brown had every reason to falter given he was essentially thrown into the fire.
Plenty of rookies have, so he would've been justified had that been the case. But like Brown told me back during Super Bowl opening night, "There is no fear in me," he said. Brown backed up those words with an interception on Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl and has shown that in every start prior. The 49ers truly do have a "stud" there and the sky's the limit with Brown who will be one of the bright spots in 2024.
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