SAN Francisco 49ers rookie Malik Mustapha has been turning heads in training camp.
The 22-year-old safety was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft out of Wake Forest.
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And judging by the frightening physique he’s been displaying, opposing receivers could take a big hit next season.
At 5 feet 7 inches tall, he is short for his position, but he makes up for it in muscle mass and weighs 206 pounds.
Fans have been praising the rookie’s giant frame on social media. in response to a viral topless photo.
“Looks like DK Metcalf Lite,” commented one.
“That’s a huge Safety. It looks more like a LB”, added the second.
“Damn! I don’t want to get run over by him haha,” another posted.
A fourth asked: “Does he know what a carb looks like?”
Mustapha was expected to have time to develop for the 49ers before fighting for a starting spot in 2025.
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But Talanoa Hufanga was placed on the physically unable to perform list after suffering a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury in November.
That opened the door for star sophomore Ji’Ayir Brown and veteran George Odum to step up as starters.
And Mustapha is putting pressure on them both after a strong start to camp.
Last week, Mustapha made an eye-catching play with a jumper to intercept Josh Dobbs’ pass intended for Danny Gray.
“That was awesome,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He showed his range there.”
Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen is also a fan.
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November 5th – Negotiation deadline
January 5th – Week 18 of the regular season
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“You could tell he was studying, working on it,” he told reporters.
“It’s not really being hesitant in communications and just being comfortable with what he’s doing back there, how he’s communicating.
“You haven’t seen him do that many things in the post. He made a good choice yesterday. He just has good natural football instincts.
“But what we knew about him was that he cared. He’s done a lot of things and I think the next thing that’s going to show up for him is that he’s a good defender.
“He is very physical. That’s what you haven’t seen until now, because what happened in the offseason was seeing that he’s a big guy, like he’s a good guy.
“He’s strong, but he’s mobile. He has some flexibility and moves very well too.
“So, seeing that he has the movement ability to move forward, you can see that he cares.
“He’s investing time in this just because he’s communicating and moving around.”
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