Young 49ers defenders step up to challenge in loss to Titans

Young 49ers defenders step up to challenge in loss to Titans originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The 49ers’ stars sat out Saturday’s 17-13 preseason-opening loss to the Tennessee Titans, giving the next generation of players the chance to show their progress.

Several young defenders — including linebackers Dee Winters, Tatum Bethune and Curtis Robinson, and safety Malik Mustapha — made the most of their opportunity, and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was pleased with their performance.

“I thought they showed up,” Shanahan said. “I’m excited to watch them on the plane, see the tape. I loved how Dee — when you run and hit, that stuff flashes on the sidelines. Saw that from him, saw that from Mustapha. I was pretty excited with those guys.”

Mustapha, a 2024 fourth-round draft pick, proved his worth in more than one phase of the game, with two key tackles on defense and one on special teams.

The Titans were 2 yards away from a touchdown on a fourth-and-1 in the second quarter, but the rookie stood up Titans running back Hassan Haskins for a turnover on downs.

Not too much later, on the second-half-opening kickoff, Mustapha stopped Titans returner Kearis Jackson in his tracks, limiting him to an 18-yard return.

Bethune, a 2024 seventh-round pick, also made an impact, leading the 49ers with eight total tackles — five solo and one for a loss. Perhaps most impressive, though, was Robinson, a fourth-year pro who seamlessly stepped into All-Pro Fred Warner’s role.

“I thought he did a hell of a job, running the defense, being the MIKE linebacker,” Shanahan said. “You got to have a lot of command, and he got our guys lined up in the right spots, and from what I saw, he made a couple of plays also.”

Robinson, who has been with the 49ers since 2021, has appeared in just nine total games, playing sparingly on defense and special teams. On Saturday, he racked up seven tackles, four of them solo.

Winters also was on the field a…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/young-49ers-defenders-step-challenge-150456734.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-08-11 15:04:56

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