The 2023 NFL draft will teach us a lot about how the 49ers view their roster at safety. It can be argued that free safety is one of their top needs. It can also be argued they’re all set at the position depending on how the team feels about free agent addition Myles Hartsfield. San Francisco could certainly make a move up in the draft to try and add a safety prospect who offers a long-term answer at FS, and Penn State’s Ji’Ayir Brown could be that player.
Brown had a 30 visit with the 49ers according to the Draft Network’s Justin Melo.
Watching Brown play football is a delight. He’s constantly around the football and gets downhill with a lot of force. His athletic testing numbers don’t match the functional athleticism he shows on tape.
It stands to reason he can play either up high or down near the line of scrimmage with enough coverage skills to hang with receivers or tight ends. Brown posted a whopping 19 pass breakups and 10 interceptions over the last three years with the Nittany Lions. He also racked up 4.5 sacks last year with nine tackles for loss.
He is a force in the secondary and a player the 49ers could easily see as a long-term replacement for FS Jimmie Ward. Brown doesn’t have Ward’s versatility where he can come down and play nickel cornerback full time, but he has plenty of tools to be a versatile playmaker in the NFL. If San Francisco thinks it needs to come away with a high-end safety in this year’s draft, Brown would be a fine player to target.
