The San Francisco 49ers needed some defensive line help this offseason with Bryce Huff retiring and Jordan Elliott, Kevin Givens, Yetur Gross-Matos, Clelin Ferrell, Kalia Davis and Clelin Ferrell leaving in free agency.
That’s why San Francisco traded for Osa Odighizuwa, signed Cameron Sample and made it a priority to address the room after the draft, signing three defensive linemen as undrafted free agents.
While it’s a tough road for undrafted rookies to make the team, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport identified defensive lineman Bryson Eason and the most exciting of the group in San Francisco.
“Eason arrived in Knoxville as an oversized inside linebacker,” Davenport wrote. “He left Knoxville as just oversized—a 323-pound lane-clogger of a defensive tackle… A lack of statistical production and uneven tape led to Eason going undrafted. But the physical tools are there—enough so that he has a puncher’s chance of carving out a rotational role along San Francisco’s defensive front.”
Eason, 24, was a four-star recruit out of Whitehaven High School in Memphis, Tennessee before joining the University of Tennessee. Over the course of six years with the Volunteers, he appeared in 61 games and recorded 105 tackles (22 for a loss), five passes defensed, 4.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries.
With so many young players in that room, there will be an opportunity for Eason to earn a roster spot, but he’ll have to beat out some talented linemen to do that.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers rookie DL picked as most exciting UDFA in San Francisco
Reporting by Mike Masala, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
