The San Francisco 49ers addressed a need at the safety position in Round 4 of the 2024 NFL Draft on Saturday with the selection of Malik Mustapha, who comes to the NFL as an early draft entry after a standout career at Wake Forest.
The 49ers selected Mustapha with the pick in the round and the 124th pick overall, which was acquired from the Dallas Cowboys in 2023 in exchange for quarterback Trey Lance. Let's take a look at what the 49ers are getting in Mustapha and where he figures in both the short term and the long term.
Where he fits
Mustapha (5-10, 209) is a short but compact and muscular safety who brings versatility to the 49ers. He played most of his snaps in the box at Wake Forest but also played over 400 snaps at free safety and just under 400 snaps in the slot.
So perhaps he can fit in wherever the 49ers need him as a rookie, but down the line, Mustapha may find himself in a larger role. The projected starters for the 49ers at safety this season are Talanoa Hufanga, who is coming off a torn ACL, and 2023 third-round pick Ji'Ayir Brown. Special teams ace George Odum returns as well and will provide depth, while Mustapha could be in line to be the fourth safety on the roster. The question is what the 49ers decide to do in the long term with Hufanga, who is in the final season of his rookie contract. Mustapha will at least add some insurance to the safety position if Hufanga isn't back to 100 percent this season or if the 49ers decide to go in a different direction from Hufanga in the long term.
Not taking no for an answer
Mustapha had quite an unusual road to college football success, as he wound up playing for the school that once doubted his ability to play at the FCS level.
Mustapha was hoping for a scholarship offer from Wake Forest while he was a student at Weddington High School in Matthews, North Carolina. But on a gameday during the playoffs, coaches from Wake Forest came to the school and informed him they weren't going to be giving him the offer he wanted.
"It hurt, and I used that as fuel," Mustapha told WSOC-TV in Charlotte.
Mustapha's mother, Dee Myles, had always been the one who pushed and coached her son to go the extra mile in athletics, and she didn't stop doing so when Wake Forest turned her son away. She started filling out online questionnaires to help spread the word about her son, and eventually, Mustapha wound up at the University of Richmond.
"She never stopped," Mustapha said. "Just that passion she had that she wants (her) baby to play D-I football. I was like, 'Alright, I'm gonna do my part, because she's doing hers."
On the advice of Myles, Mustapha entered the transfer portal after just four games at Richmond ("I definitely took a leap of faith," Myles told WSOC-TV). And much to his surprise, he finally got the offer he was looking for from Wake Forest. But the Demon Deacons weren't the only ones who were interested, as Notre Dame, Washington, Duke, Louisville, and Appalachian State came calling as well. Mustapha decided to go with the school he hoped to attend while at Weddington -- a decision that worked out in the end.
"It was weird getting recruited more out of the portal than out of high school," Mustapha told GoDeacs.com in 2023. "I had to make a decision so fast. It was probably two-or-three weeks, so I could make it for the first summer session of classes."
A successful career
Mustapha played in 13 games with the Demon Deacons as a freshman in 2021 and totaled 37 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two interceptions. He moved into the starting lineup in 2022, playing in 10 games and racking up 58 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. As a junior in 2023, Mustapha was selected as a team captain and went on to be named a second-team All-ACC selection after totaling 67 tackles five tackles for loss, one interception, and one forced fumble.
At his Pro Day, Mustapha showed out with a 41.5-inch vertical leap, a broad jump of 10 feet, six inches, and a 40-yard dash time in the range of 4.5 seconds.
The next Bob Sanders?
Mustapha's size and playing style have resulted in comparisons to former Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders, who didn't let his height (5-8) stand in the way of becoming one of the league's top safeties. Sanders was named first-team All-Pro twice before injuries derailed his career.
The 49ers would obviously love for Mustapha to turn out to be as good as Sanders. Mustapha sees some similarities stylistically between himself and Sanders.
"Yeah, I was hearing player comps about him and obviously playing back in the day, he was a hard-hitting safety, and I kind of take pride in that as well -- just trying to be that enforcer on the field," Mustapha said at the NFL Scouting Combine. "He was someone who played with his hair on fire and lit it up every chance he got. So I'm definitely appreciate his game and it's definitely something I picked up from him and try to utilize in my game."
Take a look at Mustapha's highlights below:
Mr. Muscle
As previously mentioned, one thing that stands out about Mustapha is his chiseled frame. He put on a noticeable amount of muscle after his move from Richmond to Wake Forest, which he credited to hard work and a healthy diet. He often lifted weights with the offensive and defensive linemen at Wake Forest, according to GoDeacs.com.
"I want to be able to separate myself from a strength perspective from the skill guys I'll be matched up against," Mustapha said. "I want to be physical with my tackles. That will really enhance my game. Whether it's extra reps or heavier weights, I'm just working to build on my strength week-by-week.
"Those guys push me and help me get stronger, just by being a presence in the weight room and encouraging me to get better."