49ers waive UDFA LB Mariano Sori-Marin

The 49ers announced that they waived linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin Tuesday evening. The official designation per the NFL’s transaction wire was an injury waiver, although it’s unclear what injury Sori-Marin suffered.

Sori-Marin was signed as one of 12 undrafted free agents after the 2023 NFL Draft by the 49ers out of the University of Minnesota. The former third-team All-Big Ten athlete faced an uphill battle to make a Niners roster that’s already nine deep at linebacker.

Between Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, two draft picks in Dee Winters and Jalen Graham, plus Oren Burks, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Curtis Robinson, and Marcelino McCrary-Ball, a roster spot was unlikely to come by for Sori-Marin.

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebacker is heavier than the 49ers prototype at the position, but ran a 4.62 40-yard dash, which puts him in the 71st percentile for off-ball linebackers.

From a statistical standpoint, Sori-Marin impressed as well. Only first-round linebacker Jack Campbell had more run stops in the Big Ten during the previous three seasons. Campbell had ten more despite playing over 140 more run snaps.

One reason that several fans were bullish on Sori-Marin was his ability to contribute on special teams. He played on the punt, punt return, kickoff, and kick return units for the Gophers.

The 49ers could always bring the undrafted free agent back at some point during training camp or poach him from another team’s practice squad at some point during the regular season if Sori-Marin signs with another team.