This article was originally written in the pre-season of 2025. With no movement, we didn’t get the opportunity to publish it. Over a year later, Valdez has been promoted to the active roster ahead of a Week 4 showdown against the Denver Broncos. Earning his first real shot, it feels appropriate to finally break this piece out.
At the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft, the excitement about the rebuild of the San Francisco 49ers' defensive front was obvious. What was not, at the time, was that a footnote in the undrafted free agent signings would end up being the star of training camp and preseason among the defensive linemen. Standing 6’3” and 302 lbs. with a stocky build, Sebastian Valdez has earned himself quite the nickname amongst his teammates with his burst at the snap and violent play: The Hulk.
Coming from the University of Washington, defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez has been nothing short of a revelation at a position that is in full rebuild mode. Taking advantage of his opportunities to play and shine while fellow rookies have tended to injuries through camp, it would not be a stretch at all to say that Valdez has been the most impressive rookie to take the field during the preseason. Playing only 58 snaps, Valdez has been disruptive in the interior, accounting for six tackles, one for a loss, and a half sack.
Valdez has garnered the attention of his head coach, as Kyle Shanahan singled him out post-game against the Denver Broncos, stating that he felt Valdez “flashed the most” on defense. And while his play has seemingly shown he is deserving of a spot on the 53-man roster, it may not be as simple as having earned it. With significant resources invested in the defensive line, as well as trusted veterans in the fold, the numbers game forced the 49ers to risk cutting Valdez in hopes that he would clear waivers and return to the practice squad. There is no doubt that his play throughout this preseason caught the attention of teams in need of defensive linemen, but the team's hopes came true, returning Valdez to the team’s practice squad.
Ironically, the talk of quarterback Brock Purdy’s success to begin his career always revolved around him having ‘The Avengers’ to play with, but in 2025, will he have a Hulk on his team? While Valdez has certainly proven that he can and deserves to play on Sundays this fall, his opportunity will have to wait for a need on the defensive line to begin the season.