The 49ers Need to Find a Full-Time Role for Malik Mustapha on Defense

On Monday, head coach Kyle Shanahan assessed Mustapha's debut in the starting lineup.

August 18, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha (43) during the third quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Malik Mustapha is too good to keep off the field.

The 49ers' rookie safety got the first start of his career Sunday against the Patriots and played exceptionally well. Recorded 5 tackles, gave up zero catches and added a degree of speed that the 49ers' safety position hasn't had since Jimmie Ward left.

Mustapha started in place of Talanoa Hufanga, who missed the game with an ankle injury. When Hufanga returns, the 49ers need to find a role for Mustapha in their defense because he's one of their best 11 players on that side of the ball. Perhaps they can play him as a big nickelback on early downs against run-heavy teams. Or maybe they can play him at safety and move Hufanga to linebacker against pass-heavy teams.

The 49ers have options.

On Monday, head coach Kyle Shanahan assessed Mustapha's debut in the starting lineup. Here's what Shanahan said courtesy of the 49ers p.r. department.

SHANAHAN: "I think Malik did real well. He missed that first third-down tackle, it's the only play I feel like he'd like to have back. After that, he made a number of good plays. I know he dropped that pick which I know he'd love to have that back too, but I thought he was one of the main reasons Fred scored on his interception return. Just how he came out of the middle of the field and led that block on their offensive lineman. He was flying around, got to the quarterback, him and [DL Nick] Bosa together on a, I think it was a second-and-10, where he had a really good play. But I was real happy with how he played."

Q: You had seven rookies on the field yesterday. Are you pretty impressed with the maturity level of this group and how they've been already able to contribute?

SHANAHAN: “I am. We kind of noticed that with them right in OTAs just as a group as a whole. They seemed like a very mature group. We didn't have to teach too many of them how to act like pros as we say. They came in, they knew how to walk-thru, they worked very hard. The effort was always there. Those guys work hard in the classroom. They study very well, and you never know when their opportunity's going to come. But we've had some injuries and stuff and those guys have been thrown into some stuff fast. Even going to guys like [S] Jaylen Mahoney, him not really finding out until Saturday that he had a chance to play, which doesn't allow you to go back and prepare any way differently. He'd already been preparing like he was going to play even though it seemed like a long shot. He was able to step up and help out on special teams. So, I've been impressed with that whole group. They're wiser beyond their years in how they've acted.”

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