Tag: Malik Mustapha

Malik Mustapha might be most important member of 49ers’ 2024 draft class

Why Malik Mustapha is the most important 49ers’ 2024 draft pick:

There aren’t that many worlds where the 49ers can salvage the trade up in the draft for quarterback Trey Lance. Safety Malik Mustapha, a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft, gives San Francisco at least a slim chance to do it.

Regardless of the reason the Lance trade didn’t work for the 49ers it’s impossible to call it a success. They dealt three first-round picks and a third-round pick to move up for a player they traded before that player’s third season began. That’s a mess no matter how many ways it gets sliced.

Last year San Francisco sent Lance to the Cowboys in exchange for a fourth-round pick. It was that pick, No. 124 overall, that landed the 49ers Mustapha.

This is their lone path toward salvaging something from the initial Lance deal. Not that they’ve been mired in mediocrity or not having success on the field. They’ve been to at least the NFC championship in every season since the trade, but Mustapha is now the ultimate result of that deal.

While finding quality safety play is imperative in a pass-heavy NFL, finding players specifically like Mustapha who can play in coverage while providing enough thump against the run to stay effective when offenses go bigger is essential.

However, on top of the importance mentioned above, there’s the added layer of softening the blow of the Lance deal. Chances are Mustapha isn’t going to be Ronnie Lott. If he can be a Pro Bowl or All-Pro caliber safety though it would be much easier to erase some of the negative fallout of the Lance deal. The 49ers will never get those first-round picks back and we’ll never know what players they would’ve drafted had they not moved up in the 2021 draft. We also don’t know whether those players would’ve helped them win a Super Bowl. For now the unknown weighs heavily though in the light of two NFC championship game defeats and an overtime loss in the Super Bowl.

Mustapha has a chance to usher in a new era for the 49ers’ defense though. And if he can do that while playing at a high enough level that he helps San Francisco eventually win a sixth Lombardi Trophy, it would undo lot of the weight sitting on the franchise from the 2021 draft gone wrong.

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WATCH: 49ers 4th-round draft pick Malik Mustapha brings the thump in college highlights

Check out these highlight clips of #49ers 4th-round pick S Malik Mustapha:

The 49ers made Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha the 124th overall pick in the 2024 draft. He may not start on Day 1, but there should be a long-term role available for him beyond the 2024 season.

Watching highlights of Mustapha makes it clear why San Francisco loves his upside. There won’t be a ton of electric athletic flashes, but he is an outstanding, instinctual football player who is able to constantly be around the football despite not having the elite speed traits teams may typically look for at safety.

Mustapha has enough athleticism to cover tight ends and wide receivers in short areas, but his calling card is the thump he brings as a tackler, and that shows up constantly in his highlight reels:

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Instant analysis: Why 49ers added S Malik Mustapha in Round 4 of NFL draft

Why’d the #49ers draft a safety? Because getting cheaper at that position may be key over the next couple years:

The 49ers brought in more safety help with the 124th overall pick in this year’s draft by taking Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha. That selection illustrates what changes are likely coming in San Francisco’s secondary.

Mustapha plays an instinctive, hard-hitting style that should fit nicely long-term alongside 2023 third-round pick Ji’Ayir Brown. With cap space likely to be tight for awhile, the chances the 49ers are able to sign former All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga this offseason could dwindle if he bounces back strong from a torn ACL.

There could be a bag waiting for Hufanga in unrestricted free agency that prices him out of what the 49ers can afford. Having young, cost-controlled starting safeties will be key to solidifying the back end of their defense.

If Mustapha brings the physicality he played with in college he should quickly find a home in San Francisco.

The snaps won’t be there right away though. The 49ers are anticipating Hufanga will be back from his torn ACL during training camp, and the other starting job is carved out for Brown. Contributions from the fourth-round safety may be limited to special teams this year, but he has plenty of experience there so he should be able to help on those coverage teams while the team grooms him as their starting strong safety of the future.

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49ers add secondary help, select Wake Forest S Malik Mustapha with 124th overall pick

The pick is in! It’s a hard-hitting safety for the 49ers at No. 124 overall.

The 49ers added more help to their secondary with their first pick in the fourth round of this year’s draft. At pick No. 124 they took Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha. The 49ers acquired this selection in the trade that sent quarterback Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys.

Mustapha is in a similar mold to 49ers second-round pick Renardo Green in that he doesn’t bring ideal measurables, but he plays extremely hard and brings a ton of physicality at safety.

He began his college career at the University of Richmond, but transferred to Wake Forest after one year. In three years at Wake Forest Mustapha played in 35 games with 23 starts. He posted 175 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, 10 pass breakups and three interceptions with the Demon Deacons.

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Lions draft prospect of the day: Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest

Mustapha is a very impressive athlete and offers some middle-round upside for a team like Detroit

Today’s Lions Draft Prospect of the Day is one of the most physically impressive figures in the 2024 draft class. 

The focus for these potential Lions prospects is on players who should hold some appeal for Detroit in the draft. Not all will be top-100 players, though today’s featured player could threaten to crack that mark. 

Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest

Height: 5-foot-10

Weight: 209 pounds (measured at NFL Scouting Combine)

Mustapha was a three-year player and two-year starter for a good Demon Deacons defense, primarily playing as a box safety. A transfer from Richmond after one year, Mustapha racked up 175 tackles, four sacks, 10 pass breakups, four INTs and also forced four fumbles in his three years in Winston-Salem. He was a team captain in his final season and appeared in the Senior Bowl. He led all DBs in bench press reps at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine with 22.

The Lions met with Mustapha at the Senior Bowl and informally at the combine. Age is not verified, but he was in the high school class of 2020.

What I like

  • Very impressive muscular build
  • Despite being very muscular, he’s not stiff as an athlete
  • Big-time hitter with an enforcer mentality in short-area coverage and run defense
  • Really good closing burst to the point of attack; GPS timed over 23 MPH in-game
  • Impactful between-the-tackles run defense, an excellent terminator of interior run plays
  • Good at avoiding blocks, and his angles to the ball have shown improvement
  • Disciplined in containment and gap assignment in the run game
  • Can turn and run with any RB or TE in coverage

What worries me going into the NFL

  • Bites hard on play-action and well-run route fakes and has never gotten better at avoiding it
  • Can be very late to recognize the ball in the air
  • Does have special teams experience but missed as many tackles (6) as he made for Wake Forest in kick coverage
  • Lacks length in coverage
  • Has an oddly small tackling radius with short arms (30″)
  • Missed tackle rate over 18 percent for three years, did improve in 2023 (12.5% per PFF)
  • Instincts in coverage are spotty
  • Wasn’t asked to blitz despite often being in an alignment where he could

Overall

Mustapha has a first-guy-off-the-bus build and the explosive athleticism to match. He did play some high safety and a little bit of heavy slot in college, but Mustapha doesn’t have the savviness or ball awareness in coverage to do that very often. In the NFL, he’s a box safety who is really more of an undersized linebacker. Think of a shorter Miles Killebrew but with much better run defense. Mustapha generally projects in the 90-150 overall range, an area where the Lions don’t currently have any selections.

Which prospects did Colts meet with at NFL combine?

A quick list of who the Colts met with at the NFL combine.

The NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up this weekend at Lucas Oil Stadium as the Indianapolis Colts continue marching toward the 2024 NFL draft.

While the on-field drills and measurements get most of the public attention, the combine is more important for NFL teams to gather medical information and meet with prospects ahead of the draft.

There are essentially two types of prospect meetings at the combine. The formal interviews garner the most attention. Each team gets a 20-minute interview with up to 45 prospects throughout the week of the combine. They take place in the suites at Lucas Oil Stadium and typically include the majority of high-ranking officials and coaches.

Each team conducts formal prospect meetings in a different manner.

There also are informal interviews. These are less structured. A coach or scout from a team may schedule a quick one-on-one chat with a prospect. There are no time limits on the informal interviews.

The Colts likely met with more prospects than will be listed below, but we can only go off what has been reported. We’ll add any new names to the list if reports come out in the following days.

Here’s a quick rundown of who the team met with during combine week:

Wake Forest S Malik Mustapha brings versatility that Packers are searching for

Wake Forest’s Malik Mustapha could be the versatile safety the Packers are looking for this offseason.

The back end of the Green Bay Packers defense is an area that will require a number of additions this offseason, and as GM Brian Gutekunst goes about filling out the safety and cornerback rooms, versatility will be a cornerstone of doing so.

“It really helps your defense to be multiple and flexible so teams can’t get a bead on what you’re doing,” Gutekunst said via Packers.com. “So, in a perfect world, quite frankly, between the two safeties and the nickel, those three guys almost need to be interchangeable completely.”

Enter Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha, who can fill that do-it-all role in the Packers’ secondary.

Mustapha played over 1,400 snaps for Wake Forest and was a Swiss army knife, bouncing around the secondary and filling various roles. According to PFF, Mustapha played 747 career snaps line up in the box, 431 as a free safety, and 397 in the slot.

“It’s definitely key,” said Mustapha at the NFL Combine when asked about his versatility, “because this league is a passing league and just being able to be versatile in different spots on the field and being able to impact the game at all levels of the football is definitely important and definitely brings value to my position.”

This past season was Mustapha’s best as he made an impact in all facets of the game. In coverage, he allowed a completion rate of only 51 percent and held opponents to 11.7 yards per catch, while coming away with an interception and three pass breakups.

He was also a reliable tackler, making 78 of his 89 attempts, and a very willing run defender–an element that new defensive coordinator highlighted when discussing the importance of the safety position in his defense. Mustapha’s run defense grade from PFF was the seventh best among all safeties, and he also ranked 15th in run-stops.

“I’m comfortable playing in a lot of spots,” added Mustapha, “simply because my defensive coordinator at Wake Forest put me in those positions to execute at all those levels of the football. So having those experiences at different positions of the football field, allowed me to be the most complete football player I can be.”

At a rocked-up 5-9 and 210 pounds, Mustapha’s aggressiveness and the overall physicality that he brings to the safety position may be what jumps off the screen initially, but he is confident in his athleticism and fluidity to operate in space and in a variety of roles.

“Having the bigger frame that I have,” said Mustapha, “maybe people think that I’m limited in my fluidity and hip movement, and things like that, but in the film, I’ve been able to show range at different spots of the football where I’m able to impact on the ball.

“So I’m able to get them to understand that I’m not a stiff guy; I’m a mobile, versatile football athlete, not just a safety.”

Mustapha – or any rookie, for that matter – won’t be the lone answer for the Packers at safety. This is a position group that Gutekunst is going to have to address in a variety of ways, which potentially includes making a splash in free agency, along with signing a low-cost veteran, and tacking the need in the draft as well.

Gutekunst has shown that when there is a perceived hole on the roster, he will address the need by throwing a lot of resources at it. Along with prioritizing a versatile skill set for the secondary, adding players with the right mentality is important, with there being an emphasis on “play style,” as Gutekunst put it at the Combine, which Mustapha brings to the table in a Bob Sanders-like manner.

“I was hearing player comps about him (Bob Sanders),” said Mustapha, “and obviously playing back in the day he was a hard hitting safety and I take pride in that as well. Just trying to be that enforcer on the field.

“He was someone that just played with his hair on fire and lit it up every chance he got. Definitely appreciative of his game and definitely something I picked up and tried to utilize in my game.”

2024 NFL draft: 5 defensive backs for Chargers to watch at Combine

Here are a few defensive backs for the Los Angeles Chargers to watch at the Combine.

The NFL Scouting Combine is in full gear, which will bring the 2024 draft class fully into focus, as this is the week of athletic testing, evaluations, and interviews for over 300 prospects.

With the combine ready to set the stage before free agency and the draft, we look at players worth monitoring for the Chargers.

Whether it be players who are options at pick No. 5 or later in the draft, we will pick out some at each position who should test well and generate buzz.

Here are a few defensive backs worth keeping an eye on.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 93, Wake Forest DB Malik Mustapha

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Wake Forest defensive back Malik Mustapha.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.

If the Green Bay Packers were to play a game tomorrow, they’d trot out Anthony Johnson Jr. and Benny Sapp as their starting safeties with no depth behind them. On top of that their starting nickel cornerback, Keisean Nixon is set to hit the open market. 

A player who could provide depth at both spots for the Packers is Malik Mustapha. The Wake Forest defensive back checks in at No. 93 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

Mustapha, a native of North Carolina, started his collegiate career at Richmond before transferring to Wake Forest. During his first season at Wake Forest in 2021, he recorded two tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions. The following season he recorded 58 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and three pass deflections. This past season, Mustapha recorded 80 tackles, five tackles for loss and an interception.

In a recent interview with Mustapha, the versatile defensive back told Packers Wire that his time at Wake Forest helped shape him as a leader.

“Those years meant everything to me,” Mustapha said. “They shaped me as a player and most importantly as a leader. Going to war with my guys day in and day out was something I never got tired of. The brotherhood I formed there was something that I will never forget. The relationships I formed are gonna be there for a lifetime.”

It will be worth monitoring Mustapha’s measurements at the Senior Bowl. In a recent social media post, they listed him at 5-9. Mustapha said that he overcomes that “lack” of size with his toughness and physicality. 

“My physicality is a strength of mine,” Mustapha said. “As a smaller defensive back, I have to separate myself from the rest, and being able to out physical my opponents is a plus for me. I have to be able to compete with big tight ends and even some stocky running backs, so being able to lean on my physicality as a strength helps me in those 1-on-1 battles.”

Mustapha comes with a ton of versatility and Wake Forest took full advantage of that skillset by moving him around. Over the past two seasons, Mustapha has logged 586 snaps in the box, 226 snaps at safety and 321 snaps in the slot. 

“I have the intangibles to play safety at a high level but it’s being able to move me at different spots is what separates me from the rest,” Mustapha said. “Whether I’m the single high safety, slot corner, in the box, or even at the line of scrimmage playing defensive end or spying the quarterback. I view myself as a Swiss Army knife and someone who’s gonna give opposing teams trouble to scout against on the field. I’m not a one-dimensional player. I play defense and wherever you put me on the field I’m going to produce.”

Mustapha seems to be at his best playing downhill and closer to the line of scrimmage. That’s where his physicality really shines through. He has a high football IQ and is quick to diagnose the action in front of him. Once he sees it, he flies downhill in run support. He plays with a thumper mentality and lays the wood upon arrival. 

“I play with a downhill tenacity and I’m physical,” Mustapha said. “I’m able to get a good feel on the run. Being able to see the play develop and trusting my film study allows me to make plays in the run game in a fast and physical manner.”

While Mustapha thrives playing downhill, he’s a rangy enough athlete to cover real estate in the backend. He has the quickness and fluidity to match up with shifty wide receivers and the physicality to match up with tight ends.

“I have the speed to keep up with pretty much anybody,” Mustapha said. “Something I wasn’t able to show a lot because of the scheme at Wake Forest but the times I did I was pretty productive and made plays on the ball. I’ve had to cover my fair share of NFL wide receivers. There was a play I made against Boston College that I broke up a pass against Zay Flowers in 2022 and you see what he’s doing in the league now. That is just a small piece of what I can accomplish in coverage when given the opportunity.”

Even if Mustapha doesn’t carve out a role on defense early in his career, he has the special teams background to make an immediate impact. He logged 297 career snaps on special teams with six tackles.

“Special teams is what allowed me to see the field on defense at Wake Forest,” Mustapha said. “That’s just another way to impact the game that a lot of people don’t take seriously. I would be up for that challenge.”

Fit with the Packers

Mustapha would be capable of wearing multiple hats for the next defensive coordinator in Green Bay. He has the physicality and toughness to play in the box. He has the short-area quickness and fluidity to play in the slot and he has the range to cover the backend. With all that versatility he’d at worst provide quality depth at multiple spots in the secondary. On top of all that he could carve out a role early on as a special teams hired gun.

“Leadership, grit, determination, and a motor that won’t stop,” Mustapha said. “Getting guys aligned, flying around making plays in the run and pass, and the willpower to give it all I got for all four quarters. The game of football is my passion. It’s my passion and I don’t take it lightly. I’m going to give 110% effort for whichever organization decides to take a chance on me.”

The Packers may or may not have to replace Nixon at nickel this offseason. While viewing Mustapha strictly as a nickel cornerback takes away his versatility, the Packers may view him in that light. It’s a position in which Mustapha could excel given the opportunity. 

“Playing that nickel position is one of the hardest positions to play in football but it’s something that’s not new to me,” Mustapha said. “The guys you mentioned produce at a very high level simply because in a way they are two-way players. They can be a pivotal part in run support, while also being able to blitz and cover speedy guys. It would be a great opportunity to play that at the next level and be able to make an impact.”

Wake Forest statistical leaders through 10 games

Here’s who could give the Irish trouble.

This has been a rough season for Wake Forest. After winning their first three games, the Deacons have lost six of their past seven. Their bowl hopes rest on whether they can win their final two games or at least one on the outside chance that there aren’t not enough six-win teams. Regardless, it’s not a great situation to be in.

Notre Dame isn’t going to take it easy on the Deacons just because they’re struggling. If anything, the Irish will be on a mission to improve their own bowl resume. No, it won’t be a bowl the casual college football fan cares about, but it would be nice for them to play when most people aren’t at work.

The Deacons have a tall order in trying to salvage something of this season, but they’ll try to do so anyway. Here are the players who can help them do that: