There's been plenty said of the San Francisco 49ers' 2026 NFL Draft class, primarily centered around the number of reaches executed by general manager John Lynch.
Perhaps things might have been different if one prospect, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, kept slipping down in Round 1 and ended up going beyond the Chicago Bears (who ultimately picked him at No. 25 overall) to the Niners' top pick at No. 27.
Had Lynch and Co. grabbed Thieneman there, the entire outlook of San Francisco's draft class would've been different.
And it would have had a direct impact on fourth-year safety Ji'Ayir Brown, too.
Brown has experienced his share of inconsistencies ever since the 49ers selected him in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Penn State. A unexpected starter in the Super Bowl later that season, big things were expected from Brown in 2024, yet an injury-plagued Niners roster clouded his maturation, and Brown was largely overshadowed by then-rookie Malik Mustapha. And Brown even found himself benched late in the season before reassuming starting duties the following year, thanks largely to Mustapha's own ACL tear to close out the 2024 campaign.
While there were certainly splash moments from Brown over the course of 2025, they still didn't cover up the fact he surrendered a passer rating of 102.4 when targeted in coverage, allowing four touchdowns in the process—both career worsts.
So, it would've made sense if San Francisco looked for an upgrade early in the draft with Brown entering a contract year.
But the 49ers opted not to grab a safety in the draft. The only plausible rookie competition facing Brown for a spot on the safety depth chart is the undrafted free agent, Jalen Stroman out of Notre Dame, but that's still a long shot to suggest the UDFA is a serious threat to Brown's spot on the depth chart and roster.
For now, it seems as if Brown will solidify his role alongside Mustapha, supported by second-year pro Marques Sigle and then the competition for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart.
That's a win for Brown.
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