A UCF transfer turned Florida State linebacker who reunited with a college teammate in San Francisco after going in the draft's final rounds.
Tatum Bethune arrived in San Francisco as a seventh-round pick with three years of starting experience already under his belt from stops at UCF and Florida State. He has worked his way into the 49ers' linebacker rotation while battling for a consistent role.
Path to the league
Bethune spent three seasons as a contributor at UCF before transferring to Florida State, where as a senior in 2023 he recorded 70 tackles, 5.5 for loss, three passes defensed and an interception. The 49ers selected him with the 251st overall pick in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, reuniting him with former Florida State teammate and fellow 49ers draftee Renardo Green.
Career highlights
Bethune totaled 185 tackles, 4.5 sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles across his final three college seasons combined at UCF and Florida State, showing the instincts that made him a reliable college tackler despite modest size and speed.
2025 season recap
Bethune recorded 39 solo tackles and a sack in 2025 while working in San Francisco's linebacker rotation, though he graded out as a below-average coverage defender per PFF. He was placed on injured reserve in January 2026 before being activated in mid-February 2026.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Tatum Bethune
- Pro Football Reference: Tatum Bethune
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
14 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49ers | 14 | 94 | 39 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2024 | 49ers | 11 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Florida State
- Hometown
- Miami, FL, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
