Most San Francisco 49ers fans are putting a lot of attention on what’s happening at OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
With the 49ers having a bunch of turnovers on their roster this offseason, it's an important time for the team and fans, who want to see if things will improve after a down 2024 season. During these next several weeks, rookies and veterans alike will be working to earn a roster or practice squad spot.
One former 49ers draft pick will hope to get on an NFL team’s radar after another good season playing spring football.
Ex-49ers Defender Pita Taumoepenu Wins UFL DPOY for 2025 Season
On Tuesday, the UFL announced that former 49ers 2017 sixth-round pick Pita Taumoepenu has won Defensive Player of the Year for the 2025 season. This is the second time in his pro career that the ex-49er draft pick has won DPOY in spring football.
Disruptive.
— United Football League (@TheUFL) June 10, 2025
Relentless.
Unblockable.
Your 2025 UFL Defensive Player of the Year is Pita Taumoepenu! pic.twitter.com/l8JEq6zjhL
In 2023, Taumoepenu was named the XFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. During that season with the Vegas Vipers, he was a game wrecker off the edge with 24 total tackles and 6.5 sacks in 10 games.
This season with the Battlehawks, the former 49er defender recorded 24 total tackles and 7.5 sacks, which was similar to what he did in 2023 with St. Louis (20 total tackles and five sacks).
When Taumoepenu won XFL DPOY, he got another NFL opportunity as he was signed by the New York Jets on August 8, 2023, but was cut at the end of the preseason. Taumoepenu hopes to get another look this summer after being led by head coach Anthony Becht and defensive coordinator Donnie Abraham.
The 31-year-old Taumoepenu appeared in six games with the 49ers across two seasons (2017 and 2018) before being let go by San Francisco in May 2019. Taumopeanu has also seen some regular-season action with the Atlanta Falcons (one game in 2020) and Denver Broncos (four games in 2021).
Even though he’s only 31 years old, the former 49ers draft pick has some gas left in the tank, given his production over the last three years playing in the XFL and UFL. We’ll see if an NFL team will give him another shot to make a 53-man roster or practice squad this summer.