Mokena's Sori-Marin Ready For His NFL Shot After Signing With 49ers

MOKENA, IL — Mariano Sori-Marin’s family had always been by his side throughout his football career and so it only made sense that as he waited to learn where that journey would take him next, those closest to him weren’t far behind.

Like many NFL hopefuls, Sori-Marin spent a portion of his weekend digesting the NFL Draft. A small watch party at his family’s Mokena home on Saturday was limited to a limited group of close friends and family members — all of whom hoped that the former Providence Catholic football star and University of Minnesota linebacker would hear his name called over the draft’s seven rounds.

But realistically, Sori-Marin knew he could get caught up in a bit of a numbers game. As the sixth and seventh rounds of the draft ended on Saturday with some bigger-name linebackers still available, Sori-Marin turned his attention to the reality of signing with a team as an undrafted free agent, knowing at least that way, he would have a say in where he landed.

Within an hour of the draft’s competition, Sori-Marin had reached a deal with the San Francisco 49ers, who signed the 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebacker to a free-agent contract. Sori-Marin will report to San Francisco on May 11 for rookie mini-camp and Organized Team Activities, in an effort to earn a roster spot with the 49ers.

“At the end of the day, you’re just grateful that you have an opportunity,” Sori-Marin told Patch on Monday. “Whether you’re drafted sixth, seventh (rounds) or you get to pick in free agency, you’re going to have to go play, perform, and compete with those guys for a roster spot.”

Sori-Marin had pre-draft conversations with the majority of NFL teams, some of which had him pegged as a late-round draft pick. Although he knew that he would likely fall to an undrafted free agency pick, Sori-Marin embraced the opportunity to spend time with the people who had been with him the start, including his parents, Mariano and Katrina, and his sister, Analiese, who attended all of Sori-Marin’s games during his career with the Golden Gophers.

Family has always played a vital role in Sori-Marin’s journey, dating back to his childhood when the future Division I linebacker would watch Bears games with his father. After countless road trips to see Sori-Marin play at Minnesota, where he led the Gophers in tackles last season with 88, Sori Marin said being in a familiar place surrounded by familiar faces over the weekend helped to eliminate some of the stress that comes with the NFL Draft.

Looking back, Sori-Marin wishes he would have watched more of the draft festivities. But he watched just enough to see when linebackers came off the board and what that meant for his own draft stock as the weekend progressed.

The draft experience is a memory, Sori-Marin said on Monday, that he will cherish for the rest of his life. But after agreeing to terms with the 49ers and as his family and friends encouraged him to celebrate the moment, Sori-Marin had already shifted his focus to the work ahead.

With the way he is wired, Sori-Marin said that once the deal with the 49ers went official, he went into work mode. He said he had conversations with his coach at Minnesota, P.J. Fleck about what it would take to make the team and zeroed in on the fact that his work was just beginning.

Sori-Marin did allow himself to enjoy the moment although perhaps the celebration wasn’t as drawn out as his family may have hoped. But with his NFL journey just starting, the football player whose career started as a pee-wee with the Mokena Burros is ready to take another step forward.

Discussions between Sori-Marin and the 49ers started during the final rounds of the draft on Saturday when he began to envision what team might provide the best opportunities for his skill set. He began Zoom calls with coaches on Monday as he prepares for the work that will lie ahead in the next few weeks while beginning to focus on what he needs to do to find his way to 49ers training camp this summer.

“Any time you’re a late-round (pick) or undrafted free agent, you’re going to have to come in and earn your spot,” Sori-Marin told Patch on Monday. “I’m excited to go out and showcase what I can do as a player and hopefully turn some heads and make the coaches and front office realize that I am a special player and I can help contribute to the team in any way possible.”

He added: “I’m going to have the crack on my shoulder and prove to myself that I am good enough and that I can put in the work and make the contribution to the team in the way that I think I can.”