The 49ers made a move, and one that might play a major role in setting up their future in the secondary.
San Francisco traded the 102nd (final pick in third round), 164th (fifth round) and 222nd (sixth round) picks in exchange for No. 87 overall.
They spent that pick on Penn State safety Ji’ayir Brown.
Brown was the fourth-ranked safety by The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler and was the fourth safety off the board. He described him as:
Overall, Brown must introduce more discipline and body control in his play, but he is a physical presence versus the run with the anticipation and ball skills to match up in coverage. He has the football character and skill set of an interchangeable starting safety at the next level.
Brown showed a nose for the ball in his three years at Penn State, securing 74 tackles (7 for a loss), 4.5 sacks and 4 interceptions.
Here’s a look at some of his best moments:
While the 49ers have Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson Sr., Gipson considered retirement at age 33 this offseason and Hufanga, though skilled in the box, has coverage deficiencies.