The San Francisco 49ers made plenty of cuts to their defensive line on Tuesday, as they got down to 53 players by the 4 p.m. ET deadline, per the league’s mandate.
With San Francisco releasing Shakel Brown, Sebastian Valdez, Jaylon Allen and Bruce Hector, the 49ers were left with just Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis, C.J. West, Alfred Collins and Evan Anderson at the position on their 53-man roster.
On Wednesday, the 49ers added another player to the group, claiming defensive lineman Jordan Jefferson off of waivers.
Jefferson, 23, was a three-star recruit out of Navarre High School in Navarre, Florida before spending his collegiate career split between West Virginia (2019-22) and LSU (2023). In 55 games, he recorded 90 tackles (22 for a loss), eight passes defensed, six sacks and a forced fumble.
The Jacksonville Jaguars took Jefferson in the fourth round (No. 116 overall) in the 2024 NFL draft, and he went on to play in eight games as a rookie, finishing with 12 tackles one sack and a pass defensed. He was waived during the team’s roster cuts on Tuesday.
In addition to the signing of veteran wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the 49ers need to open two spots on their 53-man roster before these moves can become official. When they do, Jefferson should slide in as a depth piece in the group.
More 49ers: 49ers punter Thomas Morstead had iconic reaction to getting released
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers claim 2024 fourth-round pick off waivers after roster cuts
Reporting by Mike Masala, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
