When former Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown reported to Santa Clara last week for rookie camp, he said the smile he wore that day had been with him since the moment he was drafted.
The 49ers traded up to No. 87 overall to select him. That was flattering in itself.
But the fact John Lynch, the 49ers’ general manager, was the man responsible for the decision made it even more special to Brown.
“That must mean a lot,” Brown said of Lynch, a former hard-hitting safety who was inducted two years ago into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“He has an eye for the position, so he must like some things I do on film that are pretty good. He traded up to get me, so that’s a good feeling.”
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Brown was just 7 years old when Lynch’s 15-year NFL career concluded. He said he values the opportunity to have Lynch as a resource as he sets out on his NFL career.
San Francisco 49ers
“You hear of John Lynch since I was a kid. One of the greatest to ever do it — if not the greatest,” Brown said.
“You hear about him growing up, but when you see him, it’s a whole different . . . Wow, that’s really you. It’s a blessing to have John Lynch as a guy I can reach out to and talk to about the safety position.”