San Francisco 49ers

How Niners safety Talanoa Hufanga became one of NFL’s best defenders

Updated Oct. 13, 2022 5:13 p.m. ET

By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFC West Writer

Michael Stair witnessed Talanoa Hufanga's athleticism and ultra-competitiveness up close as the basketball coach at Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis, Oregon.

Hufanga was his best defensive player, but he sometimes released some frustration by going for a rim-rattling dunk on the offensive end of the floor, like in this memorable play during his junior season.

"He had a guy try to jump out early on a hedge and he split it, rolled right down the middle and absolutely hammered it down," Stair recalled. "And it's like, ‘Yep, that's what that kid can do.'"

Hufanga played varsity basketball and football as a freshman, developing into one the best athletes to come out of the small college town of Oregon State University. However, it's Hufanga's personality that made a lasting impression on Stair.

"He was a combination of incredibly competitive and hard-working, but also one of the most happy-go-lucky, kindhearted souls that I've ever coached," said Stair, now retired from coaching but still teaching social studies and business at Crescent Valley. "He's the type of kid that all coaches want to coach because he's obviously very athletic. He's an intelligent player. He's pretty intuitive, and he's the type of kid that wanted to make people around him better."

Hufanga's skill set has been on full display for the San Francisco 49ers this year. Now in his second season in the NFL, the USC product has emerged as a playmaker and tone-setter for one of the best defenses in the league.

Hufanga has 30 combined tackles — including five tackles for loss — two interceptions, five pass breakups and a sack through five games for the Niners. He's simply been one of the best defensive players in the NFL.

San Francisco leads the league in sacks (21), total yards allowed per game (249.2), rushing yards allowed per game (71.4), yards allowed per play (4.01) and points allowed per game (12.2)

"We're just trying to create a legacy of greatness," Hufanga said. "We have confidence in that, but you've got to continue to work on that every day."

Hufanga's game-clinching interception in a Week 4 win at home against the Los Angeles Rams was a good example of everything he brings to the table. Through diligent film study, Hufanga anticipated that the Rams would try to get the ball on a switch route to Matthew Stafford's favorite target, Cooper Kupp.

Hufanga said he actually read the play almost too well, which caused him to initially juggle the interception when he jumped the route. But he managed to get control of the ball, racing 52 yards for the score.

"It's always about his preparation every week; that's what sets him apart," San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans said. "You see it on that play right there. We want our guys to be a football player and not just be robots out there. And you see it instinctually, if you're able to see something and trigger on it, that's what makes you a special player.

"Some guys can see something, but then it's also, 'I've got to stick to my rules and just be a robot.' Huff is not a robot on the field. That's what allows him to stick out. That's what allows him to make the plays that he's made. That's what allows him to be one of the best safeties in the league right now. He's not scared to go make a play when it calls for him to make a play."

Hufanga has received help to heighten his instinctive play and self-awareness from one of the best safeties to ever play the game: fellow Polynesian Troy Polamalu. Hufanga sought out the Hall of Famer's help during the pre-draft process in 2021, and Polamalu has remained a mentor ever since.

Hufanga said he and Polamalu work on more than X's and O's. Polamalu shows him different ways to take care of his body through stretching and diet. He also provides life lessons, mental training and books to help the 22-year-old get to where he needs to be. David Goggins' "Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" was among the books on Hufanga's reading list.

"You want to be results-driven: You've got to get an interception, or you've got to get a TFL," Hufanga said. "But being around Troy has been a blessing because he sees it from a very different perspective.

"When you really look at each play and do your job on each play, great things will happen. You may set somebody else up for an interception or set somebody else up for a sack. And if we have great coverage in the back end, we can let our front end like [Nick] Bosa and Samson [Ebukam] go hunt the quarterback. So, we just have a great time out there, have fun and bring the energy."

At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, Hufanga was a versatile performer at USC, where he earned All-American and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. However, Hufanga fell to the fifth round of the 2021 draft because of his perceived lack of speed after running a 4.6 40.

San Francisco played him mostly on special teams his rookie season. But when the Niners moved on from safety Jaquiski Tartt during this past offseason, it created a spot for Hufanga in the starting lineup. And he has taken full advantage of the opportunity.

One of Hufanga's trademarks is his work ethic, being the first to hit the field and the last to leave. He learned that important trait growing up in Corvallis working on a farm with his family, with responsibilities like cleaning the barn and feeding the animals.

"His parents are incredibly loving people," Stair said. "I think they wanted to create every opportunity for him, but they also wanted to make sure that he had accountability in his life. I think that's clearly paying dividends for him because that's who his personality is.

"I don't think he has to work at it. It's just natural to him at this point."

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.