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49ers safety Odum proving he’s more than just special-teams ace originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
There are two plays from George Odum’s first preseason with the Indianapolis Colts that he believes enabled him to win a roster spot as an undrafted rookie from Central Arkansas.
The first came during a practice when he opened eyes with an impressive pass breakup against quarterback Andrew Luck.
The other big moment came in the third preseason game in 2018 against the 49ers when he made a perfect read and intercepted a Nick Mullens pass. That play might have locked down a spot.
“I was playing linebacker when I first got to the NFL,” said Odum, who was the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year in his final college season. “My footwork wasn’t good. I didn’t break on the ball too well.
“My coach saw one play. We were playing cover-2, and Andrew Luck threw it to the sideline. I almost picked it off. He showed that film to me and said, ‘This is the reason we’re going to keep you at safety.’”
Six years later, Odum still is trying to prove he can play safety. He has been such a force as a special-teams player that his teams seemingly have been reluctant to afford him that opportunity. He was an AP first-team All-Pro on special teams in 2020, and has been the 49ers’ top special teams player since his arrival as a free agent in 2022.
Odum is in his third season with the 49ers, and he has been playing with the No. 1 defense while Talanoa Hufanga awaits medical clearance after undergoing surgery in November to repair a torn ACL.
The fact Odum was not elevated into the starting lineup immediately after Hufanga’s injury last season remains a sore spot for him. But it also provided him with a valuable perspective on his football career.
“Last year, I felt like I was supposed to start when Huf got hurt,” he said. “I felt I was going to start because that’s the way it was on the depth chart.
“But I didn’t, and I felt some type of…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-safety-odum-proving-hes-161226916.html
Author : NBC Sports BayArea
Publish date : 2024-08-12 16:12:26
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