The 49ers Draft S Malik Mustapha in Round 4

For now, it seems like Mustapha will replace Talanoa Hufanga at strong safety next year if/when Hufanga leaves in free agency.

Oct 29, 2022; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Malik Cunningham (3) runs / Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers are overhauling their secondary.

First they drafted cornerback Renardo Green in Round 2, and now they've taken safety Malik Mustapha in with pick no. 124 in Round 4. And while Green has a chance to play right away in the nickel defense, Mustapha most likely will red shirt a season, unless the 49ers make him a nickel linebacker, which is possible.

For now, it seems like Mustapha will replace Talanoa Hufanga at strong safety next year if/when Hufanga leaves in free agency. Hufanga was an All Pro in 2022, so he'll make lots of money on the open market even though he tore his ACL last season. He's still a playmaker who intercepts lots of passes, and the 49ers don't pay big money for defensive backs.

Enter Mustapha. He's a strong safety who's most comfortable playing near the line of scrimmage. He also ran a 4.52 40, so he can cover ground in the back end of the defense, but he's not as good in coverage as he is against the run.

Through the first four picks, the theme of the 49ers' draft has been 2025, meaning most of the picks won't contribute as rookies. The 49ers must feel their roster is so good that rookies probably can't contribute right away, which makes sense.

If the 49ers want to get Mustapha on the field next season, they could play him at linebacker in the nickel defense. He's not good enough to stop the run from that position, but he won't have to face many running plays on third down.