The Best Part About the 49ers Trading for Osa Odighizuwa

Improving the defensive front is great and all, but there's an even better benefit from the 49ers acquiring Osa Odighizuwa.

Nov 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) celebrates after a sack against the New York Giants during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

What's better than one splash addition? Two splash additions.

That's exactly what the San Francisco 49ers did when they followed up the signing of Mike Evans by trading a 2026 third-round pick (No. 92) to the Dallas Cowboys for Osa Odighizuwa.

Adding Odighizuwa is tremendous for the 49ers as they needed to boost their defensive front badly. However, that's not even the best part about trading for Odighizuwa.

The best part is...

It's that they can't mess up another third-round pick again. Ever since Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch took over in 2017, they have been atrocious in the third round of the NFL draft.

Here are some of the names they have drafted: Danny Gray, Jalen Hurd, Ambry Thomas, Trey Sermon, Tyrion Davis-Price, and Cameron Latu. Thomas was the best one of them, and that's not saying much.

They have essentially been lighting that pick on fire. They might as well let anyone else, like a fan or a family member, make that draft choice. Anyone but them making the pick would've been fine.

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, right, talks with head coach Kyle Shanahan during pregame warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Fred Warner has been the only third-round draft pick that the 49ers have hit on, and he was a home run. Upton Stout has a chance to break that trend, and maybe Dominick Puni. Every other player has been a complete whiff.

Jake Moody is the most infamous draft selection. Not only is it a blunder to take a kicker in the third round, but he was abysmal. The 49ers cut him in his third year on the team.

49ers fans can rejoice knowing that their team can't mess it up again this year. They sent that pick for an impactful defensive tackle that defends the run really well and is an effective pass rusher.

Even if Odighizuwa is only with the 49ers for one year, he will have been the second-best use of a third-round pick for them. It's sad to say, but that's how horrible they've been in that round.

The 49ers saved themselves by acquiring Odighizuwa, and if he lasts beyond 2026, it will be an even greater use of the draft pick. This is what makes trading for him incredible.

They get a terrific player with the chance of retaining him in the long-term, and they prevent themselves from adding to a long list of third-round pick failures.

Sometimes, it's best to protect yourself from yourself, and this trade for Odighizuwa does that for the 49ers.

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