Pros, cons of San Francisco 49ers picking Penn State football's Ji'Ayir Brown in NFL Draft

Penn State football's Ji'Ayir Brown was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

The do-everything safety was the 87th overall selection. He also was the fourth Nittany Lion pick of Friday night, following the lead of these second-round selections: defensive back mate Joey Porter Jr. (Pittsburgh Steelers, 32nd overall), tight end Brenton Strange (Jacksonville Jaguars, 61st) and center Juice Scruggs (Houston Texans, 62nd).

The 49ers traded up with the Minnesota Vikings to select Brown with their first pick of this year's draft (24th in the third round).

Brown became one of Penn State's most versatile defenders in recent memory, stuffing the stat sheet and filling roles in about every capacity imaginable. The former junior college standout led the Nittany Lions in tackles and interceptions last year but also was among the top producers in tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles.

He patrolled the backfield as a standup-pass rusher at scrimmage and even as an extra lineman in goal line sets.

Penn State football safety Ji'Ayir Brown: The positives

His versatility and penchant for making big plays outweighs mediocre testing numbers.

He just kept getting better through his two years at Penn State. His last game was a Rose Bowl Defensive MVP performance: eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception.

His meteoric rise: From no scholarships to national leader: How expectations have risen for Ji'Ayir Brown

'Lucky to be alive:' A violent crash should have killed him. Now this Penn State player is a rising NFL talent

Most impressive? The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder lined up as a defensive end at Michigan in a goal line package, broke through two offensive linemen and made the stop behind scrimmage.

"Watch a few minutes of Brown’s tape, and you’ll be wowed by his instincts and recognition skills. I think he could move around the defense and contribute as a rookie," said ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay.

Brown is "coming off two of the most productive seasons a safety has had in college football in the past 10 years," according to Brentley Weissman of The Draft Network.

His 10 interceptions combined in the 2021-22 seasons led all defenders in college football, according to Pro Football Focus.

The concerns

His aggression sometimes worked to his disadvantage, producing missed open-field tackles and finding himself out of position. He also lacks top-end speed in coverage.

From PSU football to a sports complex? Inch & Co. brothers taking York County by storm. The inside story of their meteoric rise

Final thoughts

Brown's elite instincts, versatility and knack for finding the ball all but guarantees a secure roster spot an early impact expectations, as well.

His production is unquestioned: He was responsible for 16 turnovers (10 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumbles recovered) over his two Big Ten seasons. Those "splash-play" capabilities and balance as a sturdy run-game and pass defender make him one of the more undervalued defenders in the draft.

"He flashes a quick trigger and will come downhill to fill the alley in a hurry, and he brings bad intentions when he does," said Weissman of The Draft Network. "Brown is a violent hitter who looks to deliver knockout shots. That brings energy to the defense but also leaves Brown susceptible to missed tackles − an area that is a major concern."

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on Twitter @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: San Francisco 49ers pick Penn State's Ji'Ayir Brown in 2023 NFL Draft