San Francisco 49ers

Trade to 49ers reunites LB Hodges with college teammate Bowman

Published Oct. 7, 2015 12:49 a.m. ET

foxsports

Linebacker Gerald Hodges was acquired by the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday, giving him a chance to play alongside a player that he credits for helping him reach the NFL.

The 49ers shipped center Nick Easton and a sixth-round draft pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for Hodges, who was a teammate of current 49ers star linebacker NaVorro Bowman at Penn State. Also on that team was Dallas Cowboys middle linebacker Sean Lee.

“I learned so much from NaVorro and Sean, seeing how they approached football, and studying film,” Hodges wrote in an article titled "My Life As An NFL Linebacker" that appeared last month on CBS Philly. “You couldn’t help but to follow in their footsteps. After the way they laid the pavement, you’d be dumb not to.”

Hodges played opposite Bowman in the 49ers in the season-opener. Although the Vikings lost 20-3, the third-year linebacker recorded a season-high eight tackles.