SANTA CLARA — The 49ers’ season might be slipping away, but the future could be bright.

Their rookie class is outstanding, and fourth-round pick Malik Mustapha has been one of the top rookies in the league this season according to NFL.com.

“If we’re talking long shots at this point anyway, why not go with one who packs a punch?” writes NFL.com analyst Kevin Patra. “Mustapha has added physicality to the Niners’ secondary, bringing the wood like an old-school defender at least once per game. He might not grade out perfectly in coverage by some metrics, but he has generated -5.8 receiving yards allowed over expected as the nearest defender, per Next Gen Stats, while allowing a passer rating of 33.2. Mustapha’s -44.6 completion percentage over expected allowed is tops among all rookie DBs, per NGS. As nice as those numbers look, he rounds this list out mostly because he plays with an energy and ferocity that, frankly, is just fun to watch.”

I love this pick. Mustapha probably won’t win the award because it generally goes to a play with lots of sacks or interceptions. But when you take a close look at the rest of the numbers, Mustapha’s are as good as any rookie’s. Teams have been extremely hesitant to test his coverage since he entered the starting lineup, which is remarkable for a rookie. He already has earned the rest of his peers.

Expect Mustapha to be the 49ers’ strong safety for years to come.