Ebukam in a rush to give lift to 49ers

Former Ram not ‘technician,’ but stats impressive

The 49ers just signed a pass rusher to a twoyear, $12 million contract who has never had more than 4.5 sacks in his fouryear career and has terrible technique.

About that last point. That’s not a cruel critique. That’s the assessment of Samson Ebukam, the pass rusher with the $12 million contract.

Last week, Ebukam was asked about his strengths in his introductory 49ers’ news conference. Was it his quickness? Speed? Was he a technician?

A technician? Ebukam sounded amused.

“I’m definitely not a technician,” Ebukam said. “Because I’ve seen film. And I know I’m not a technician.”

Later, Ebukam, 25, said he needed to work on becoming “techniquesound” because “there’s a lot of stuff I’ve still got to learn.”

What did the 49ers see in Ebukam? The better question might be what they didn’t ob

serve.

They didn’t see him play with much polish during his first four seasons with the Rams, when he logged 46.8% of their defensive snaps. Despite his parttime role, he had 14 sacks and six forced fumbles, which is one more than Chargers Pro Bowl pass rusher Joey Bosa has had since 2017. In addition, Ebukam’s two defensive touchdowns, which both came in a win against the Chiefs in 2018, are tied for sixth in the NFL among nondefensive backs since 2017.

In other words, there have been flashes. And the 49ers believe Ebukam could become a force under the tutelage of defensive line coach Kris Kocurek in a Wide 9 alignment that could take full advantage of his burst and speed.

“I’ve already started talking to coach K,” Ebukam said. “He’s just trying to make sure I get my first step down. Because he knows that I’m fast. So he’s like, ‘If you get that first step down, you’re going to be skyrocketing and shooting out of your stance and just getting to the quarterback.’”

The 49ers added Ebukam because of the uncertain status of Pro Bowl pass rusher Dee Ford, who is still rehabbing from a back injury that forced him to miss the final 15 games last season. Ford, who is known for his speed off the edge, was acquired in a trade in 2019 in Kocurek’s first season with the 49ers.

The 49ers are now hoping Ebukam can become a poor man’s Ford by becoming more like their other edge rusher, Nick Bosa, the 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year who arrived in the NFL with textbook technique.

The backgrounds of Ebukam and Bosa couldn’t be much different. Bosa, of course, grew up in an NFL laboratory. His dad, John, and uncle, Eric Kumerow, were NFL defensive ends and Bosa became the No. 2 pick in the 2019 draft after playing at Ohio State.

Ebukam was born in Onitsha, Nigeria, moved to Oregon when he was 9 and had little understanding of football when he was a freshman at David Douglas High School in Portland. He wasn’t invited to the NFL combine after he had 24 sacks in four seasons at Eastern Washington and he didn’t expect to be drafted in 2017.

However, the NFL took notice when Ebukam produced eyepopping numbers at his pro day. Among his impressive feats: His 40yard dash time (4.5 seconds) would have tied for the seventhfastest among the 18 running backs who ran at that year’s combine, and his vertical leap (39 inches) would have been first among the 31 wide receivers who jumped.

The Rams, who were at EWU’s pro day with a keen interest in wide receiver Cooper Kupp, whom they took in the third round, became believers: They selected Ebukam in the fourth round.

Four years later, the 49ers are also clearly intrigued by Ebukam’s potential after signing him to a contract that suggests he will have a substantial role in 2021.

“From what I’ve been told, I’m expected to be on that field,” Ebukam said. “I’m excited to hear that because it’s just more of an opportunity for me to showcase what I can do.”

Still, the 49ers structured Ebukam’s contract so they can easily move on if he can’t take advantage of his opportunity. Ebukam received $5 million guaranteed, but none of that money is in 2022. The 49ers could release him next year and absorb a modest deadcap charge of $1.75 million.

Last week, though, in the afterglow of his signing, he expressed strong optimism while acknowledging his weakness, a deficiency he expects the 49ers will help him erase.

“I’m just going to watch and learn and adapt,” Ebukam said. “And just get to that quarterback faster.”