Former Washington Huskies defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez got his chance to show the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff Sunday what he can offer, and didn’t disappoint.
The 6-foot-3, 301-pound second-year defender made two tackles and helped the 49ers defense hold the Denver Broncos to one touchdown and 82 yards rushing in a 24-14 victory. Valdez played 25 snaps in his second game this season after being promoted from the practice squad and impressed coach Kyle Shanahan enough to likely earn more snaps as the season goes along.
“I thought he’s done a real good job,” Shanahan said Monday. “He’s stepped it up when we needed him to. He’s been waiting for this opportunity for two years now, and we were pretty confident that he would take advantage of it when he got it. He hasn’t disappointed. He’s really taken advantage of it, played really hard, played very well. I’ve been really excited about what he’s done in what he’s done here in these two weeks, when it’s been real needed.”
Valdez graded out as the third-best defender for the 49ers by Pro Football Focus with a 68.7 defense grade. In addition to his two tackles, the ex-Montana State and UW defensive lineman was also credited with two pressures on Broncos’ quarterback Bo Nix, something that attracted the Huskies‘ coaching staff to him in the transfer portal after dominating at the FCS level.
Valdez blows up run lane.
Meinerz can’t block Greenlaw at the second level.
Halton and Kareem shed their blockers.Incredible by the defensive front pic.twitter.com/GiiSqW0eUZ
— Gridiron Gold Mine (@GridironGoldM_) October 5, 2026
Valdez made his NFL regular season debut in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, a 36-30 win, which saw the Spring Valley, California native record three tackles and boast a 75.0 defense grade in the early-season NFC West contest.
After starting all 13 games for UW in 2024 as a senior, Valdez went undrafted in 2025 and landed with the 49ers practice squad. Although he impressed Shanahan and the coaching staff enough to continue to stick as a potential future rotational player for San Francisco, it wasn’t enough to crack through other veterans ahead of him in the pecking order.
With three players, including defensive tackle Alfred Collins, being ruled out for the season due to a torn patellar tendon, Valdez was given his opportunity to prove the long-term bet by the organization was worth the wait. As he’s shown in the past two weeks, the decision to keep him around and activate him to the active roster proved to be the correct choice.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Former Washington Football DL Turns in Strong Performance for 49ers