Grabbing defensive linemen was a primary theme for the San Francisco 49ers over the course of the 2025 NFL Draft, and three notable prospects were part of general manager John Lynch’s efforts during the three-day period: Georgia’s Mykel Williams, Texas’ Alfred Collins and Indiana’s C.J. West.

By nature, undrafted additions rarely command attention unless said prospect was a surprise slip during the draft, so it might have gone unnoticed when the Niners subsequently grabbed Washington defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez as an undrafted free agent not long after Round 7 concluded.

Almost by default, Valdez faces long odds to make San Francisco’s 53-man roster out of the gate. Despite a flurry of offseason changes, the 49ers’ new-look defensive line now boasts plenty of bodies, most of whom command much more investment than the one-time Montana State product who transferred to the Big Ten ahead of the 2024 NCAA season.

That said, the 6-foot-3 and 301-pound defender has enough positive attributes to have a fighting chance of hanging around into the regular season.

Sebastian Valdez has long (but reasonable) odds to make 49ers’ 53-man roster

Combing through some of Valdez’s pre-draft scouting info, it’s easy to draw a conclusion that sheer strength and power will be his best attributes, and these intangibles ultimately give him better odds of earning consideration as a depth rotational piece from the get-go.

From NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

“Three-technique with impressive power and core strength to play heavier than his measured weight. Valdez made the jump from Montana State to Washington and fit right in as a read-and-react defender, using his leverage and strength to neutralize the block. He has shorter arms, which limit his success shedding or playing around blocks in both phases. He needs to play with better first-step explosiveness and play recognition at the outset but his power at the point is worth monitoring.”

Additionally, the one-time Husky’s RAS score is commendable, too:

Granted, these traits alone won’t ensure Valdez a spot, especially when he has to compete with more established fringe players like Kevin Givens, Kalia Davis, Jordan Elliott and Evan Anderson for interior duties on the Niners’ D-line.

Yet there’s another indicator, too: a total of $185,000 in guaranteed money as part of his original contract, and this suggests San Francisco has bigger plans for Valdez than it might for other players merely brought in to round out an offseason 90-man roster.

The money isn’t necessarily a guarantee Valdez survives roster cuts, and the rookie still has a long way to go to ensure he carves out a niche role instead of being jettisoned prior to a regular-season game.

However, he’s certainly worth watching as both training camp and preseason action commence later this summer.

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