49ers 3rd-round rookie gets rare opportunity in 1st real NFL practice

San Francisco 49ers rookie third-round pick Romello Height is getting a unique opportunity to stake his claim to a spot near the top of the 49ers defensive end depth chart.

With DE Nick Bosa easing his way in to action after recovering from an ACL he suffered last season and second-year DE Mykel Williams on the PUP list also because of an ACL tear he sustained in 2025, Height got a chance to run with the first team according to the Sacramento Bee's Chris Biderman.

This won't tell us much about where Height stands come Week 1. With the top two DEs out the third and fourth DEs will take those first-team spots. Height being the third or fourth DE out of the gate shouldn't be a huge surprise. He figures to step in as a situational pass rusher in Year 1 thanks to his skill set and a physical build that may never allow him to be a three-down player in the NFL.

Reps are the goal for rookies in training camp, though. No Bosa and no Williams means Height will get a ton of extra reps in team drills where he can separate himself from the bottom of the depth chart and open the door for a bigger role when the season begins. Now we'll still need to see how he looks once the team puts pads on.

Height played six years of college football before being selected 70th overall in this year's draft. He didn't establish a regular role until his fourth season where he played in 12 games during his second season at USC. In his final three years of college, Height put up 24.0 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss.

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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers 3rd-round rookie gets rare opportunity in 1st real NFL practice