News of the 49ers' interest in Tapp was first reported last week by Josina Anderson. Tapp spent 2020 as the co-defensive line coach at Virginia Tech, where he played college football before being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2006.
Tapp spent 12 seasons in the NFL after the Seahawks made him a second-round pick. He registered 332 tackles, 53 tackles for a loss, 100 quarterback hits, 29 sacks, two interceptions, a touchdown, 20 passes defensed, and 12 forced fumbles during his pro career while playing for the Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The defender spent two seasons (2014-15) in Detroit being coached by current 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.
Tapp joined the coaching ranks in 2018, starting as a defensive quality control coach at Central Michigan. He served as a special teams quality control coach at Vanderbilt in 2019 before joining Virginia Tech last year.
Tapp replaces Aaron Whitecotton, who left the 49ers to join Robert Saleh's staff with the New York Jets.
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