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Ever since the San Francisco 49ers traded DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts, they have lacked a physical presence in the middle of their defense. The 49ers attempted to address the issue by taking two defensive tackles within the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft: Alfred Collins and CJ West.
Not much went well for anyone on the 49ers in 2024, but the interior defensive line struggled for yet another year. As standout pass-rushers Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd anchored the edges, San Francisco used a revolving door of veterans in the middle. Maliek Collins, Kevin Givens, Jordan Elliott, Sam Okuayinonu and Evan Anderson all got their shot, but none satisfied. They ranked in the second half of the league in rushing yards allowed and yards per rush allowed while defending inside runs at a bottom-10 rate.
As the second-round pick, Alfred Collins will get the first look as the potential answer. With 55 tackles in 2024, the former Texas star has the athleticism and versatility to potentially be that guy. However, West, a top-15 tackle in the FBS Power Five conferences in 2024 according to PFF, cannot be overlooked as a potential impact player from the jump.
49ers need interior defensive line help
With Robert Saleh returning as defensive coordinator, the 49ers cleaned house over the offseason. San Francisco cut ties with Maliek Collins, Leonard Floyd, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Javon Hargrave. Collins, who started all 17 games in 2024, was the most notable dismissal of the team's front seven.
The 49ers' defense ranked seventh against the rush in 2020, Saleh's last year with the team. That number plummeted to 18th in 2024. Losing Collins, who was third on the team with 6.5 stuffs in 2024, poses a potential threat in that regard.
Following the roster purge, the 49ers only have five experienced interior defensive linemen on their roster. The additions of Alfred Collins and CJ West suggest that at least two of them will be victims of the final roster cuts. Givens, Elliott, Anderson and Okuayinonu all return, but nothing suggests any of them are guaranteed a single snap in 2025.
After San Francisco released Flannigan-Fowles and lost Dre Greenlaw in free agency, only three defensive players remain on the team since Saleh was last on Kyle Shanahan's staff. Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and Givens are the only members with experience in Saleh's system. With Shanahan and Saleh preferring a 4-3 lineup, Givens figures to hold onto his spot as one of the two starting defensive tackles. The other will be up for grabs in training camp.
CJ West fits the team needs
Spending four of his five collegiate years at Kent State, West has been underrated for his entire career. Yet, once graduating onto the big stage, his 2024 production rivaled the best in the Big 10, bested only by Michigan's Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, who were both first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
He recorded just 42 tackles on the year, but West's effectiveness on running plays was one of Indiana's biggest strengths all season. On 178 total run defense snaps, he recorded an 11.6 percent run-stop rate, which led to an outstanding 88.1 run defense grade from PFF.
Indiana boasted many defensive stars during its surprising 2024 season, but West was often viewed as the unsung hero of the group. Whenever he was on the field, inside runners hardly found success against the Hoosiers. Kalel Mullings, Quinshon Judkins and T.J. Harden — the three most physical runners who faced Curt Cignetti's squad on the year — combined for just 114 yards against West and the Hoosiers, averaging only 38 yards per game.
There were a lot of reasons for John Lynch to take Alfred Collins in the second round, but also many more to take West in the fourth. Collins is easily the better overall prospect, but West will find his way onto the field and make an immediate impact. None of the 49ers' group of incoming rookies fit the team's needs better than West. It would not be surprising if by the end of the year, both rookies anchored San Francisco's new and improved defensive line.
