Entering 2024, all signs pointed to the San Francisco 49ers having a stud in safety Ji'Ayir Brown, their top pick from the 2023 NFL Draft out of Penn State.
At the end of 2024, all signs pointed to Brown being a massive liability.
Brown went from an upstart who started in the Super Bowl that February of 2024 against the Kansas City Chiefs to being benched in the latter portion of the following season despite the fact the Niners were dealing with all kinds of defensive injuries at his position. When San Francisco subsequently drafted Marques Sigle on day three of the 2025 draft, it appeared as if Brown's immediate future was in serious jeopoardy.