San Francisco 49ers sophomore safety Ji'Ayir Brown flashed a ton of promise as a rookie contributor. Now an unquestioned starter heading into year two, Brown will enjoy a breakout season in 2024. The 49ers have another budding superstar in their defensive backfield.
The No. 87 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, Brown didn't enter the campaign as an immediate factor. The former Penn State standout didn't even play his first defensive snaps, a grand total of two of them, until Week 3. Brown continued to back up Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson until Hufanga suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11. That marked the first time Brown played more than 50% of snaps in a single contest.