The San Francisco 49ers are finishing up their month-long break, as players are returning to their SAP Performance Facility for the start of the team’s 10th training camp since head coach Kyle Shanahan took over.
Before San Francisco’s veterans get back in the building next Saturday (July 25), this is a great time to talk about expectations and who we should be focusing on over the next month or so.
After doing just that for the offense, let’s turn to the defense, which will be led by new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. Here is one player to watch at each position on defense during training camp.
DL Osa Odighizuwa
Odighizuwa spent five years at UCLA from 2016-20, earning All-Pac-12 honors once before the Dallas Cowboys took him in the third round (No. 75 overall) of the 2021 NFL draft. Over the last five years with the Cowboys, he appeared in 84 games and recorded 216 tackles, 81 quarterback hits, 17 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defensed.
San Francisco traded for Odighizuwa this offseason to beef up the center of their defensive line. Once the pads come on, it will be interesting to see how different the front looks.
EDGE Romello Height
Height had four stops at different schools over the last six years, spending two seasons at Auburn, two more at USC, and one at Georgia Tech before finishing up at Texas Tech. In 50 career games, he recorded 111 tackles, 16.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. He also earned All-Big 12 honors this past year.
San Francisco took eight players in the 2026 NFL draft, and Height was the first player they took on defense. With Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams and Keion White all coming back from surgeries, the rookie should get plenty of run early on.
LB Fred Warner
Warner has been one of the best linebackers in the league since the 49ers took him in the third round (No. 70 overall) of the 2018 NFL draft out of BYU. He’s earned All-Pro honors and Pro Bowl honors four times each, while recording 948 tackles, 56 passes defensed, 38 quarterback hits, 17 forced fumbles, 10 sacks, 10 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries in 121 games.
The 29-year-old suffered a dislocated and broken ankle in Week 6 last year that cost him the rest of the season. Watching Warner will be important to make sure he’s moving well and doesn’t look like he’s lost a step after the injury and rigorous recovery.
CB Upton Stout
Stout split his collegiate career between North Texas (2020-21) and Western Kentucky (2022-24), where he earned All-C-USA honors in his final season before the 49ers took him in the third round (No. 100 overall) of the 2025 NFL draft. As a rookie, he played 58% of the team’s defensive snaps in 16 games while recording 82 tackles, five passes defensed, two quarterback hits, one sack and one forced fumble.
At 5-foot-9, Stout’s ceiling is pretty limited at cornerback, but he impressed in his first professional season. Hopefully, he’ll be able to keep up that pace.
S Marques Sigle
Sigle played at North Dakota State from 2020-22 before transferring to Kansas State for 2023-24. After declaring for the draft, San Francisco took him in the fifth round (No. 160 overall). He appeared in 15 games as a rookie, playing 40% of the team’s defensive snaps and finishing with 52 tackles, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery.
The 24-year-old was thrust into a starting job early in the season, but he was obviously in over his head, which is why he eventually landed on the bench once reinforcements arrived at the position. It will be interesting to see if the safety looks better now that he has a full year under his belt.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 1 49ers player to watch at each defensive position in training camp
Reporting by Mike Masala, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
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By Mike Masala, Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
