The 49ers' safety position is in good hands, even as former Pro Bowl selection Talanoa Hufanga works his way back from a torn ACL.
In speaking to reporters after San Francisco's mandatory minicamp practice Wednesday, Hufanga was asked what he saw from safety Ji'Ayir Brown last season when the then-rookie filled in for him after Hufanga tore his ACL in Week 10.
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"Oh, amazing. For a guy to come in as a rookie, the light is never too bright for him," Hufanga said of Brown. "I think what he did in the Super Bowl and what he did leading up to that has just been amazing."
One year after selecting Brown in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, San Francisco selected Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha in the fourth round of the 2024 draft.
And Hufanga has been impressed with what he's seen from the rookie throughout organized team activities (OTAs).
"Beefy. That dude is just like 'I'll out-lift everyone,'" Hufanga said of Mustapha. "He's like a mini Dre [Greenlaw], they just walk around with this presence. [He's] twitchy, athletic, smart and a guy that's really about his business and gets things done."
San Francisco 49ers
Hufanga, who continues to rehab, told reporters that his goal is to be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. If he is, the 25-year-old will slide back into his starting safety spot, this time alongside Brown with Mustapha waiting in the wing for his first opportunity.