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49ers Have Signed Bay Area-Native Defensive End
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- 49ers Have Signed Bay Area-Native Defensive End
The San Francisco 49ers ' depth throughout their defensive line is a bit iffy right now. Defensive end Nick Bosa , the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, is working his way back from a torn ACL , and they're currently relying on a number of young prospects, especially on the edges of their defensive line.
Depth will be of paramount importance as they evaluate which of those prospects are actually suspects and which ones will stick or even pop moving forward.
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On Monday afternoon, the 49ers signed Viliami Fehoko , a defensive end who was a fourth-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2023. He is a Bay Area native, as he was born in Stanford and spent time growing up in East Palo Alto and Mountain View.
To clear a roster spot for him, the team reportedly released tight end Josiah Deguara , per David Lombardi of The Athletic.
Fehoko hasn't gotten opportunities in the pros yet
Fehoko first starred at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, where he earned a number of individual honors, including All-West Coast Athletic League and Bay Area News Group first-team All-Bay Area nods.
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He then matriculated to San Jose State University, where he played five seasons (he red-shirted as a true freshman in 2018) and earned three straight first-team All-Mountain West honors and the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022.
During his senior season, Fehoko logged 69 total tackles (41 solo), 19 tackles for loss (a conference high that season), nine sacks and two forced fumbles.
However, he has yet to play a regular-season game in the NFL due to injury. The Cowboys waived him in August 2024, and afterward, he had short stints on the practice squads of the Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts . Indianapolis waived him back in April.
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Fehoko may not be the type of prospect who could turn into the second coming of Charles Haley, but he could give San Francisco someone it can take a look at moving forward. He stands 6-foot-4 and weighs roughly 270 pounds, and while he lacks top-end athleticism, he does have a reputation for playing hard and having a high motor.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
