It didn't take long for then-rookie safety Malik Mustapha to endear himself to San Francisco 49ers fans back in 2024.
The hard-hitting defensive back who grew up a Niners fan had his share of splash plays during an otherwise forgettable and injury-plagued campaign for his team, although news of him suffering a torn ACL during the regular-season finale certainly cast some doubt entering year two of his NFL career.
Turns out, that injury hampered him a bit, limiting Mustapha to 12 games played, and it was pretty clear he wasn't quite the same player he was during his first year in the NFL.
San Francisco is hoping it gets the 2024 version of Mustapha back in 2026.
It's a necessary thing, too. One of the 49ers' bigger defensive question marks this season is at safety where there's no clear-cut answer to which starting two will be deployed. Mustapha is assumed to be one, but with Ji'Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle and even Ashtyn Davis in the mix, finding the best duo is paramount.
And it's vital Mustapha holds up his end of whatever pairing.
Malik Mustapha will be under plenty of pressure to bounce back in 2026
Sophomore regressions are common, especially among defensive backs, and this was evident in Mustapha's on-field efforts for much of 2025. In contrast to his rookie year, where he allowed opposing quarterbacks a lowly 44.4 passer rating and 35.0 completion percentage when targeting him, those numbers jumped to 116.9 and 66.7, respectively, the next season.
There are a few factors to consider here behind the regression.
First, one can argue coming back from a torn ACL is much easier than playing at the same level pre-injury, and it'd be safe to give Mustapha the benefit of the doubt—2025 was more about getting comfortable on the knee again.
On top of that, an inept Niners pass rush put immense pressure on the secondary, meaning Mustapha wasn't the only one who was tested more heavily in the passing game. San Francisco's efforts to improve the pass rush this offseason should help matters here.
Still, Mustapha figures to be an integral part to the 49ers' revamped defense, and if he can emulate the same kind of impressive performances he enjoyed during his rookie campaign, it'll be nothing but a boost to the Niners overall in 2026.
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