Nick Bosa, the San Francisco 49ers’ star edge rusher, is back on the field for training camp after missing much of last season with a torn ACL, and he’s already seen a rookie defensive lineman pick up their complex scheme quicker than Bosa ever did.
Bosa’s Unexpected Path Back To The Field
Nick Bosa’s presence for the 49ers’ first non-padded practice is huge, especially after he missed much of last season with a torn ACL. He wasn’t even on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Bosa chose to rehab at the team facility instead of his usual offseason training in Florida. That kept him in the building, letting him rehab alongside teammates like Mykel Williams, who’s also recovering from a torn ACL. Being around all offseason gave Bosa a front-row seat to the new faces on the defensive line. The 49ers needed pass rush help, trading with the Dallas Cowboys for veteran Osa Odighizuwa at defensive tackle. They also brought in rookies Romello Height, an edge rusher, and Gracen Halton, a defensive tackle, to join a young crew that includes 2025 rookies Mykel Williams, C.J. West, and Alfred Collins.
This Rookie Is Already Turning Heads
But it’s Romello Height, their third-round pick and an edge rusher out of Texas Tech, who has clearly grabbed Bosa’s attention. Height played at Texas Tech in 2025 and was considered an accomplished pass rusher, a six-year college player with serious quickness, a great get-off, and strong production in his final season, earning First Team All-Big 12 honors. Bosa’s comments about him are wild: “For rookie-wise, I’ve never seen a guy come in and get the scheme as quickly and seamlessly as he has. Even when vets come in who haven’t played in this scheme, he’s gotten it quicker than I did. Just the way he picked it up, it just seems like second nature to him, and he’s super explosive. He’s got a bag of tricks in pass rush that you can tell he’s been coached well. And he’s a little older, so that might be a part of it for a rookie, but I think he’s going to contribute pretty quick.” That’s high praise, especially considering the 49ers ranked dead last, 32nd in the NFL, in sacks last season. Bosa’s return and the Odighizuwa trade will help, but San Francisco drafted Height specifically for that pass-rush role. With Bryce Huff’s sudden retirement, Height now has an even clearer path to earn snaps and fight for a depth chart spot.
The 49ers need pass rush, like yesterday. If Height can truly contribute quickly and live up to Bosa’s early hype, this rookie could be exactly what that defense needs to start clawing its way back from the bottom of the sack rankings this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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