SANTA CLARA — Samson Ebukam wishes his career would have started with the 49ers but is grateful he is now where he belongs.
The veteran pass rusher is in his second season in Santa Clara after four seasons as an outside linebacker with the Los Angeles Rams. Ebukam loves simply being asked to rush the quarterback as opposed to taking on blocks or thinking about what he needs to do on the field like he did in Los Angeles.
It took a little time for Ebukam to fully adjust to the 49ers scheme. Now, with his responsibilities streamlined, the Eastern Washington product has a goal of breaking his three-year streak of 4.5 regular season sacks.
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“I played my whole college career as a defensive end,” Ebukam said on Monday. “So if I came here and was playing defensive end as a rookie, with the bend that I had, I wouldn’t be sitting at four and a half sacks, I’d be gone.”
The pass rusher won’t share what his goal for 2022 is until he has reached it and believes that he would be much further along in his career if he had started out Day 1 with the 49ers under defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.
Ebukam’s thoughts on what life could have been like came after he was asked for his assessment of Drake Jackson. The rookie’s abilities combined with the club’s defensive scheme are reason enough for the veteran to be excited for Jackson.
“He’s a perfect fit for this team,” Ebukam said. “Every time he makes a move we are like, ‘Man, that dude.’ He can bend, he can do it all. I’m excited for what’s to come for him. He had a couple moves today and I was like, ‘Dang bro, you got some good hips.’
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“The way he is bending around that hoop, that reminds me of my younger years as a rookie. If I was here as a rookie, it would be a different story. I’m not going to lie to you. But him being here as a rookie, it’s going to help him so much. Especially with Coach K. He is going to get him right and you’re going to see big things from him.”
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The six-year veteran loves what he sees from the rookie off the field as well. Ebukam shared that Jackson is soaking everything up like a sponge without complaining which leads the veteran to believe the USC product will be another valuable weapon for the defense.