After a couple of seasons in the UFL with the Birmingham Stallions, Anae is back on the biggest stage for the first time since 2024.
Anae was signed to the Jets' practice squad in December and the Falcons' practice squad back in May 2024, but he hasn't seen the NFL field since 2023 with the New York Jets.
He is joining one of the most elite defenses in the NFL as well as another Utah local in BYU alum Fred Warner.
Last year, the 49ers had some of the worst injury luck in the league and finished with a 6-11 record. Assuming he makes the final roster, Anae could provide some solid depth in the front seven.
On Tuesday, August 26th, NFL teams will cut their rosters down to 53 players. That is just after the preseason and about two weeks before week one of the regular season.
If Anae makes the final roster cut, he will be suited up on the sidelines for week one. The last time he was on an NFL roster to start the season was back in 2021 with the Cowboys.
Anae, a Laie, Hawaii native, attended the University of Utah from 2016 to 2019.
As a freshman, Anae played in six games and picked up two sacks. In his sophomore year, he played in 13 games with 10 starts, posting seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
In 2018, Anae led the Pac-12 with eight sacks and added 15.5 tackles for loss in 14 starts. He was named first-team All-Pac-12.
As a senior in 2019, Anae exploded for 13 sacks and 14 tackles for loss which led to being named an All-American and first-team All-Pac-12.
Anae broke the school record for most career sacks with 30 and won the Morris Trophy.
He went on to be selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 179 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. In the NFL, Anae had short stints with the Cowboys, New York Jets, and Atlanta Falcons.
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