Starting Free Safety?

Mustapha looks to be much more effective playing down hill near the line of scrimmage. I saw one draft evaluation that said Green MIGHT have some ability to play FS at times, and it got me thinking, who is the Niners BEST option at FS?

Every year, I hope they will draft a fast FS with the capacity to play single high when needed. An Earl Thomas, Ed Reed style of player (I know those don't grow on trees)

Obviously, the scheme they run is a critical factor.

I am assuming the following players are options:

Strong Safety:
Talanoa Hufanga (INJ)
Ji'Ayir Brown (FS?)
Malik Mustapha
George Odum

Free Safety
Ji'Ayir Brown
Tyler Hawkins
Samuel Womack (CB transition)

Thoughts?

All of this could shift if Nick Sorensen runs a 3 safety package.

Yeah I have to admit I was surprised the safety they drafted, Mustapha, seemed to be more in the box mold, since that seems to be Brown and Hufanga's strength as well… I'd say the option that makes the most sense to me is they believe Brown can do it and Mustapha is depth / insurance for Hufanga coming back from injury. Agree with you that I wanted a more prototypical (rangier) FS but I guess Brown can make up for his average speed with instincts and smarts, which he definitely has been a ball-hawk in college and here so far…

We don't have a quality centerfielder FS

Damn good question. I like Mustapha. But yes, he's another box safety or big nickel. Like Hufanga, better near the line of scrimmage. Maybe we play more big dime packages while Greenlaw is out.

To be fair to Lynch, this was once again a weak class at FS. But boy, it sure would be nice to have a centerfielder with range. There's some hope for Renardo there, but that means DMO is in the nickel, which means one of Yiadom, Ambry, Rock Ya actually shows out and convincingly wins the outside CB job. Not holding my breath.

Originally posted by 91til:
Yeah I have to admit I was surprised the safety they drafted, Mustapha, seemed to be more in the box mold, since that seems to be Brown and Hufanga's strength as well… I'd say the option that makes the most sense to me is they believe Brown can do it and Mustapha is depth / insurance for Hufanga coming back from injury. Agree with you that I wanted a more prototypical (rangier) FS but I guess Brown can make up for his average speed with instincts and smarts, which he definitely has been a ball-hawk in college and here so far…

I thought the FS and SS were interchangeable for this defense?

Originally posted by TD49ers:

Originally posted by 91til:
Yeah I have to admit I was surprised the safety they drafted, Mustapha, seemed to be more in the box mold, since that seems to be Brown and Hufanga's strength as well… I'd say the option that makes the most sense to me is they believe Brown can do it and Mustapha is depth / insurance for Hufanga coming back from injury. Agree with you that I wanted a more prototypical (rangier) FS but I guess Brown can make up for his average speed with instincts and smarts, which he definitely has been a ball-hawk in college and here so far…

I thought the FS and SS were interchangeable for this defense?

They are well were. We have no idea what defense we are going to run next year. But if Gibson could play "FS" then Brown, Huf and Mufasa can

Originally posted by TD49ers:

Originally posted by 91til:
Yeah I have to admit I was surprised the safety they drafted, Mustapha, seemed to be more in the box mold, since that seems to be Brown and Hufanga's strength as well… I'd say the option that makes the most sense to me is they believe Brown can do it and Mustapha is depth / insurance for Hufanga coming back from injury. Agree with you that I wanted a more prototypical (rangier) FS but I guess Brown can make up for his average speed with instincts and smarts, which he definitely has been a ball-hawk in college and here so far…

I thought the FS and SS were interchangeable for this defense?

I don't know too much about that stuff, I mean Wilks scheme was a little different than Ryans, and now we have Sorensen and Staley so I'd say the scheme stuff is up in the air, I was just commenting more about player types. I always want a FS with speed. But like I said, obviously there have been really fast free safeties who can't cover or free safeties that make up for not being as fast with their other skills & traits . And yeah also obviously it's great if either of your safeties can play centerfield on any given play

Originally posted by Hysterikal:
They are well were. We have no idea what defense we are going to run next year. But if Gibson could play "FS" then Brown, Huf and Mufasa can

Yeah that's a good point about Gip as well. Clearly Kyle — and Lynch, who obviously knows a thing or two about safety play — don't share my desire for a really fast FS. Obviously it's not the only important trait back there lol

Originally posted by 91til:
Yeah I have to admit I was surprised the safety they drafted, Mustapha, seemed to be more in the box mold, since that seems to be Brown and Hufanga's strength as well… I'd say the option that makes the most sense to me is they believe Brown can do it and Mustapha is depth / insurance for Hufanga coming back from injury. Agree with you that I wanted a more prototypical (rangier) FS but I guess Brown can make up for his average speed with instincts and smarts, which he definitely has been a ball-hawk in college and here so far…

It seems like the Niners use their safeties interchangeably, which is great for disguising coverage, but puts some stress on the secondary.

If Mustapha turns into a real contributor and Huff is hewlthy, I'm curious if they move to more 3 safety formations.

Kreug: Green to FS?

Originally posted by Butter:
Kreug: Green to FS?

That's stupid. Greens strength is press man.

Brown at FS, competition at SS until Huf gets back

That safety just didn't exist in this draft. Was a terrible class.

IMO it's Ji'Ayir Brown at FS, and Talanoa Hufanga at SS this season, with Malik Mustapha & George Odum as primary backups, I think Mustapha was a pick for the future, since I don't see the 49ers giving Hufanga top Safety money, they didn't sign one in FA do what those players wanted, there's a reason Justin Simmons is still a FA, asking price is likely way too high.

Originally posted by 9ers4eva:
That safety just didn't exist in this draft. Was a terrible class.

Cooper Dejean