The 49ers could be in the market for a safety. The team lost Jimmie Ward and Tavarius Ward in free agency but added Myles Hartsfield.
"Versatile defensive back who has shown the ability to line up over the slot, play as a down safety and patrol the outfield as a Cover 1 safety ready to read and range," Lance Zierlein, who compares Brown to Ryan Clark, wrote in the player's NFL.com draft profile. "The lack of speed and explosiveness Brown showed at the NFL Scouting Combine won't help his draft stock, but he's a fiery run defender and plays with undeniable coverage instincts. He has an excellent motor that fuels him throughout the game, as well. He needs to play with a little more discipline or veteran quarterbacks and play-callers will bait him into mistakes. Brown's versatility and football character could help him eventually become an NFL starter."
Brown registered 74 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, three passes defensed, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles through 13 game appearances as a senior in 2022, per Sports Reference, being named the team's Most Valuable Player. He recorded 153 tackles, nine tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, nine passes defensed, 10 interceptions, a touchdown, and three forced fumbles through his three collegiate seasons.
Ji'Ayir "Tig" Brown was the Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl (eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, interception) in Penn State's 35-21 win over Utah. The safety gained his nickname from Tigger from "Winnie the Pooh" because, as a toddler, he enjoyed bouncing.
Brown is from Trenton, NJ. He earned a pre-draft grade of 6.3 from NFL.com, which equates to an "eventual strong starter," per the site's 8-point grading scale.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 5' 11 3/8" and 203-pound Brown had a 40-time of 4.65 seconds, a vertical jump of 32.5 inches, a broad jump of 119 inches, and 18 reps in the bench press. His other measurables include an arm length of 31 1/4 inches and hands measuring 10 1/8 inches.
Brown had a 40-time of 4.58 seconds, a vertical jump of 35.50 inches, a broad jump of 124 inches, and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.21 seconds at his personal Pro Day, per NFLDraftBuzz.
| College Statistics | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Class | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | ||||||||
| 2020 | Penn State | JR | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | -- | ||||||||
| 2021 | Penn State | SR | 13 | 61 | 12 | 73 | 1 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||
| 2022 | Penn State | SR | 13 | 56 | 18 | 74 | 7 | 4.5 | 4 | ||||||||
| Total | Penn State | 122 | 31 | 153 | 9 | 4.5 | 10 | ||||||||||
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