It’s going to be all hands on deck for the San Francisco 49ers defensive line this season.
Javon Hargrave’s season-ending triceps injury put the 49ers in a bind up front where they’re now missing a major source of their pass rush. Hargrave last season in what was deemed a ‘down’ year still had the second-most pressures on the team with 64, and the third-best pass rush win rate.
While all eyes will inevitably turn to defensive ends Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd to pick up some of the slack, another unlikely hero is making his way into the spotlight.
Sam Okuayinonu, a 2022 undrafted free agent signing of the Titans, had only six games under his belt as a pro prior to this year. He posted 0.5 sacks in his six contests as a rookie for Tennessee. He had his first full sack against the Rams in Week 3 as a standard practice squad elevation.
Sunday against the Patriots he came up with a forced fumble and caught the eye of head coach Kyle Shanahan.
“Guys stepped it up,” Shanahan said Monday in a conference call. “Sam O who got his opportunity, he got it, I think, for the first time two weeks ago, but he’s been a beast in practice. And to watch him carry it over to the games is kind of what I’d like to say we expected because he’s been such a pain in practice and in a good way just for our offense to deal with. And it was cool to see him do it to somebody else here on Sunday.”
Okuayinonu posted three pressures in 10 pass rushes Sunday according to Pro Football Focus. His obscene 44.4 percent pass rush win rate was by far the best on the team.
It’s worth noting the Patriots’ offensive line is putrid and that most of the 49ers’ defensive front cooked against them. However, it’s clear through the last couple of weeks that Okuayinonu has a chance to be a much-needed contributor to the 49ers’ defensive end rotation.
