Mustapha's Rebound: Niners' Defense Domination

It's April 1st.

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The San Francisco 49ers are locking in their roster ahead of the NFL draft, plugging key

holes through free agency moves.

Most signings seem done, with General Manager John Lynch not eyeing a return for wide-out

Jawan Jennings.

But the Real Talk now centers on who steps up big in 2026, and one name jumps out, safety,

Malik Mustafa.

As a rookie, Mustafa was lights out in coverage, letting just one completion on 11 targets,

while racking up pass breakups.

He looked like a draft-day steal, full of promise and playmaking fire.

Last season though, things dipped completion rate against him, hit 61% on fewer targets.

Consistency faded even late in the year, and his missed tackle rate spiked about 7% with

fewer splash plays overall.

A year removed from injury, Mustafa's got no excuses now.

Fred Warner's back healthy, and he's got the least top defensive line in front of him,

setting the stage for a full rebound.

If Mustafa flips the script to his rookie form, the Niners' defense could dominate next

year.

Watch that secondary lock it down.