Tag: Ji’Ayir Brown

49ers 2023 rookie report card is mostly useless at halfway point

The #49ers rookie report card is … bare.

The 49ers didn’t pick until late in the third round of the 2023 draft. It didn’t seem like a big deal considering they still walked away with a nine-player class that had a chance to fill a couple of key needs.

There was never a realistic possibility the 49ers’ rookie class had a wide swath of contributors. However, the early returns from that group can’t even be labeled as “not promising” because the reality is a vast majority of the players haven’t had any chance to make a real contribution.

We went through the rookie class and dished out “grades” for their first half performances. It won’t take long to notice a pattern:

Penn State in the NFL: Best photos from Week 1

Take a look at this photo gallery of former Penn State players in the NFL from Week 1 of the regular season.

The NFL season finally got underway with a full Week 1 slate of football. Scattered throughout the NFL were 33 Penn State football players on active 53-man rosters as the season officially kicked off, and a number of those players were key players in their season openers.

A number of former Nittany Lions started the season with a new team including wide receiver Allen Robinson and running back Miles Sanders. In all, Penn State has 39 players on NFL rosters if you include practice squad players and players appearing on injured reserve to start the 2023 season.

Here is a look at some of the former Nittany Lions in action during Week 1 of the 2023 NFL regular season.

7 players we’re excited to watch in 49ers preseason opener

Here’s a look at seven players that should be exciting to watch in the 49ers’ preseason opener against the Raiders on Sunday.

It’s not Christmas, but it’s close. On Sunday, The 49ers will open the preseason in Sin City against the Las Vegas Raiders.

It’s not a mirage in the desert, the 49ers will officially be on the field in uniform on Sunday for the first time since their loss in the NFC Championship to the Philadelphia Eagles.

It’s likely most of the starters and familiar faces for the 49ers will be on the sideline watching on Sunday. But, what’s exciting about the preseason is getting a look at some of the new faces for the first time in red and gold.

Players with chatter around their name — good and bad — will get the chance to make an impression on the fan base and coaching staff under the bright lights for the first time.

Heading into Sunday’s contest, here’s a look at seven players Niners Wire is excited to watch against the Raiders in the preseason.

49ers rookie S Ji’Ayir Brown can’t wait to tackle somebody

49ers rookie S Ji’Ayir Brown hasn’t tackled somebody since December of last year. He’s ready to get back to it.

There haven’t been a ton of splash plays through the first nine days of training camp for 49ers rookie safety Ji’Ayir Brown. His skill set may be better geared toward game scenarios though where his tackling ability can be on full display.

Brown won’t have to wait long to hit a player who isn’t a teammate though. San Francisco has a pair of joint practices with the Raiders on August 10 and 11 before they face each other on Aug. 13 in their preseason opener. That’s why the rookie is looking forward to those practices and a game where he feels the full breadth of his skill set will shine.

“Absolutely. I haven’t tackled nobody since December of last year,” Brown said after Saturday’s practice. “So, definitely looking forward to getting back to it and show off my tackling ability to the team and let them see what I’m all about.”

His nose for the football is apparent in his college tape, and his aggressive, downhill style is something he believes will fit in quickly with San Francisco’s defense.

“That’s just my game,” he said. “I think that’s everybody’s game on the team. You know, this is an aggressive defense. I think the most aggressive defense in the league, so, I have to live up to that standard with those guys. And my football style is just like theirs so it’s definitely gonna be a game of physicality.”

That physicality doesn’t get to stand out in practice where the health of teammates is paramount and the goal is to avoid players going to the ground. Pads will pop, but the tackling isn’t full speed particularly in the secondary where Brown figures to do most of his roaming.

Brown told reporters he believes his long-term future with the team will require him to follow the leaders in the middle of their defense who set the aggressive tone.

“Just mentality. These guys, they hunt,” Brown said. “Guys like Fred (Warner) leading the pack, (Dre) Greenlaw — these guys hunt. They set the example. And if you ain’t out there hunting you can’t be with them. So I just join in on that hunt, I hunt with those guys.”

How the 49ers will deploy Brown in his rookie campaign remains to be seen. He could conceivably start at free safety alongside Talanoa Hufanga, though a more realistic projection is that he’ll play as a third safety or de facto third linebacker in some personnel groupings. Either way his playing time will ride heavily on how the aggressiveness and tackling ability he hangs his helmet on translates in games.

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Charvarius Ward praises 49ers rookie DB, expects big things in preseason

The #49ers veteran corner is expecting big things from rookie Ji’Ayir Brown in the preseason.

With training camp heating up, the San Francisco 49ers’ first preseason game is approaching.

Although he has yet to have the chance to officially suit up and make his debut, Charvarius Ward already has lofty expectations for one rookie when the 49ers take the field in the preseason.

After practice at training camp on Thursday, the veteran corner praised rookie Ji’Ayir Brown. Ward told reporters he believes Brown will be “smacking people around” in the preseason.

I think he’s (Brown) a grown man. Like, you look at him, and he looks like he’s been in the league already for a couple of years. I definitely think in the preseason, when the pads come on, he is going to smacking people around. His game is really going to show real good.

In practice, he might not making a lot of plays right now, but I know on gameday – Sunday, whoever we play, he is going to be a dog. He’s a dog, for sure.

His body type, his mentality, like you look at him, and he kind of looks mad. But he’s a happy person. On the field, he’s aggressive and he plays hard. That’s what I get from him; he plays hard, and he plays fast.

Via @NBCS49ers on Twitter:

The 49ers drafted Brown in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Penn State. At Penn State, Brown earned All-Big Ten third-team honors twice. In 2023 Brown was named the defensive Most Valuable Player of the Rose Bowl. Against the Utah Utes in the Rose Bowl, Brown had a game-high eight tackles and an interception.

In 13 games in 2022, Brown had 56 tackles, seven for loss, along with a team-high four interceptions. In 2021, Brown had a career-high six interceptions.

Brown will get the chance to make his debut with the Niners in the preseason on Sunday, August 13, against the Las Vegas Raiders in Sin City.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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49ers eyeing long-term development with S Ji’Ayir Brown in training camp

The #49ers have to thread the needle between their short-term success and rookie S Ji’Ayir Brown’s long-term development.

There was an interesting development on the defensive side for the 49ers during Thursday’s practice. Rookie safety Ji’Ayir Brown got a snap with the first-team defense.

His quick insertion with the starters was certainly notable since it doesn’t appear the 49ers have an open starting job at safety with incumbents Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson slated for those two spots. However, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said Thursday in his post-practice presser Brown’s rookie season will be as much about his long-term development as it is about helping the team in 2023.

“Not so much that,” Wilks said when asked if the team was trying to give Brown a look against a specific offense. “We just got him in the rotation and really long term also trying to take some pressure off [S Tashaun] Gipson [Sr.], who’s a seasoned veteran. And we are looking at the long haul and making sure that he’s there at the end of the season. But also opportunity for those young guys to progress because again, at some point in time, we’re going to need him.”

Brown’s usage is one of the more interesting aspects of the 49ers’ defense this season.

Wilks is a very experienced, successful defensive backs coach. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the team deployed some three-safety looks this year to combat more versatile modern offenses. Brown’s ability to play multiple defensive roles would give him several opportunities to help right away.

The team is in a tough spot with rookies and development because playing is typically the best way for a player to improve, but that’s going to come with some lumps and mistakes. San Francisco is a Super Bowl contender so it’s not easy to just live with rookie mistakes.

With Brown though, he should be a key figure in the 49ers’ secondary for the foreseeable future. That means he needs to play, but in spots the team is confident in his ability to do his job correctly.

Perhaps he winds up playing his way into a starting job. That won’t be easy, but it’s not off the table and it may be best for his long-term development. There’s more on the 49ers’ plate than that though, so finding the sweet spot for Brown’s playing time and role will be one of Wilks’ biggest jobs during camp and the preseason.

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Role for 49ers rookie S Ji’Ayir Brown coming into focus

We’re starting to get some clarity on what the 49ers’ plan is for rookie S Ji’Ayir Brown.

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It’s unclear exactly what the 49ers’ plan is at free safety. They re-signed veteran Tashaun Gipson this offseason to a one-year deal, and then traded up to No. 87 in the draft to select Ji’Ayir Brown out of Penn State.

There’s certainly a question about whether the team intends to start Brown over Gipson. They could go that route depending on how the rookie adapts and how Gipson looks in camp entering his 12th NFL season. However, according to Matt Barrows of the Athletic, 49ers defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks foresees a scenario where both could play in a three-safety look with Talanoa Hufanga.

“He has our DNA that we’re looking for on defense,” Bullocks said via the Athletic. “We’re looking for a guy that’s physical, that’s smart, that can finish. When you look at Ji’Ayir, he’s versatile. He can line up on all three levels of the defense. He can line up on the line of scrimmage. He can rush off the edge. He can drop back a level and play man coverage. He can play zone as well. And he can also drop back into the post and show that range and go get the football.”

Brown in his two seasons as a starter with Penn State was responsible for 16 takeaways. San Francisco knows the value of winning the turnover battle and Brown’s penchant for creating takeaways could force the club to put the rookie on the field.

Last year the 49ers were 13-0 when either winning or tying the turnover battle. They were 0-4 when losing it. Gipson and Hufanga to their credit posted a combined nine interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Part of Brown’s allure as a prospect was his ability to play an adaptable defensive role. He’s effective near the line of scrimmage and lined up deep. The 49ers had success with a chess piece like that in Jimmie Ward, so it makes a ton of sense that they’d try to replicate that with Brown even if it means having three safeties on the field.

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Penn State football 2023 NFL draft player signing tracker

Penn State 2023 NFL Draft rookie contract signing tracker

Although Penn State may not have had a first-round draft pick in the 2023 NFL draft, the Nittany Lions did send six players through the draft. Tjat included three players going in the second round with Joey Porter Jr. going to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the first pick of the second round and Brention Strange and Juice Scruggs each getting their names called during the second round.

Now that the draft has come to a close, and undrafted free agents are beginning to be signed, including a number of former Penn State players, all eyes are set on the first NFL contract signings for the newest batch of NFL rookies drafted from Penn State.

We’ll keep tabs on all of the draft pick contracts to be signed this year by Penn State players who have become NFL rookies in 2022, and we will update this information as needed when more information does become available. Contract details used here are obtained through the terrific sports contract resources available from Spotrac.

This list was last updated on May 19, 2023.

2 49ers draft picks received rare ‘gold helmet’ designation from front office

The 49ers don’t give out a ton of gold helmets to draft prospects, but they managed to snag two this year.

The 49ers don’t give out ‘gold helmet’ designations to just any draft prospect. A select few get that label for their performance on the field, but also because of intangible things like leadership and football IQ. Two of San Francisco’s draft picks this year reached gold helmet status according to Matt Barrows of the Athletic.

Barrows wrote a fascinating piece where he dove deep on each of the 49ers’ prospects from this year’s draft with assistant general manager Adam Peters. Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown and Oklahoma tight end Brayden Willis were the two gold helmet prospects the 49ers landed.

Brown was the player San Francisco traded up to get at No. 87 overall. He has the physical tools to be a good player in the NFL and he posted 10 interceptions across his last two seasons with the Nittany Lions. However, Peters told Barrows that other things stood out to the team about Brown.

Via the Athletic:

“They call him ‘The Voice’ because he was the voice of the defense, the leader of the defense,” Peters said. “And it’s not just what he says, it’s how he plays. Like one of my notes was, ‘He plays every play like it’s his last.’ He plays really, really hard.”

It’s not a huge surprise that the 49ers loved Brown’s playing style. He’s all over the place and constantly around the ball on virtually any Penn State game from the last two years.

Willis, one of the 49ers’ trio of seventh-round selections, also got tabbed as a gold helmet prospect. His toughness stands out on tape as a blocker and as a runner after the catch.

Barrows said it was Willis’ two-year team captaincy and competitive spirit that earned Willis the gold helmet. Peters elaborated via the Athletic:

“We loved his run-after-the-catch (rate),” Peters said. “That was backed up by our R&D guys. He had the highest broken-tackle percentage of all the drafted tight ends.”

Adding another TE who can make plays in the passing game has been something the 49ers have been aiming to do over the last few offseasons. This time they invested two draft picks in TEs who put up good receiving numbers in college.

The 49ers didn’t receive high praise for their draft, but it’s clear that Peters and San Francisco’s front office are high on their picks despite all of their selections coming at No. 87 or beyond. Finding a couple gold helmet players in that mix is a nice win for a team that badly needs to hit on some picks this year and next to extend their Super Bowl window.

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Ji’Ayir Brown’s role with 49ers may require development

Ji’Ayir Brown may need time to separate himself in crowded 49ers safety room.

The 49ers’ plan with safety Ji’Ayir Brown may require some time for development, which would explain the small logjam they’ve created at the position.

San Francisco traded up to No. 87 in this year’s draft to ensure they snagged the Penn State safety. He figures to slot in as the free safety alongside Talanoa Hufanga, but veteran Tashaun Gipson is presently atop the depth chart after leading the team in interceptions last season and re-signing on a one-year deal.

Then there’s free agent addition Myles Hartsfield, a free safety who did a little bit of everything on defense during his time with the Panthers.

Ideally Brown would step in and replace longtime FS Jimmie Ward, who signed with Houston in free agency. However, a piece from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that included some insightful nuggets on each team’s draft class might explain why the 49ers took Brown despite their crowded safety room.

Via Fowler:

The 49ers got a starting-level safety in Penn State third-rounder Ji’Ayir Brown, but some scouts see him as more of a true, downhill-driving safety than a replacement for Jimmie Ward, who excelled in nickel corner coverage. Teams I’ve talked to think San Francisco might want to add a slot corner to balance out the secondary.

Former Falcons CB Isaiah Oliver should take care of the slot corner portion of that issue after joining the 49ers in free agency. Second-year CB Samuel Womack will also be in the mix there.

For Brown though it would be ideal if he could eventually handle the responsibilities of being a free safety who could also move down and cover in the slot the way Ward did. He has all the physical tools to do that, it’s just not something he did regularly at Penn State.

Perhaps the plan for San Francisco is to allow the 2023 campaign to be a development year for Brown where he has a role on defense, but not necessarily as a starting safety. They can feel out what he can and can’t do while helping him along as a FS who can move down near the line of scrimmage and cover when needed.

It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that he picks that up quickly and claims the starting job in Year 1. The 49ers appear set on their roster though just in case Brown does need some time to establish himself as that type of player.

The good news is the talent is there and his college coach James Franklin raved to Fowler about how Brown approaches the game. Again, via Fowler:

“Does a lot of things well, great instincts, smart football player, makes plays on the ball, tremendous leader, charismatic leader and aligned with the staff,” Franklin told me.

The tools are all there for Brown. It feels like a matter of when more than a matter of if he’s capable of becoming the versatile FS the 49ers are looking for to replace Ward.

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