Indiana Defensive Tackle CJ West Selected By San Francisco 49ers In NFL Draft

CJ West didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called on the final day of the NFL Draft on Saturday.

West was chosen 113th overall by the San Francisco 49ers. West was chosen in the fourth round, 11 picks deep into the fourth round.

West is a 6-foot-1, 316 pound defensive tackle. The Chicago native played one season for the Hoosiers.

West is the first player chosen directly from Indiana since Micah McFadden was taken in the fifth round by the New York Giants in 2022.

West had 40 tackles and two sacks for the Hoosiers in 2024, his lone season at Indiana after he played three seasons at Kent State. He forced and recovered one fumble.

West was part of an Indiana run defense that was the best in the country in 2024. Teamed with James Carpenter on the interior of the Indiana four-man front, the Hoosiers only allowed 81.2 rushing yards per game in 2024.

West is the first defensive tackle from Indiana taken in the draft since Nolan Harrison (who was a hybrid end-tackle) was picked by the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1991 draft.

The last true defensive tackle taken from Indiana was Mark Smythe, who was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1984, but he did not play in the NFL.

West joins a San Francisco defensive line that includes Kevin Givens, Jordan Elliott, Evan Anderson, Alfred Collins and Kalia Davis at defensive tackle as of when he was drafted.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had the following analysis of West.

“Fifth-year senior with three seasons as a full-time starter at Kent State and one at Indiana. West benefited from an extremely active, gaming front that created playmaking opportunities, but he also did the dirty work inside that scheme,” Zierlein said.

“He plays with adequate hand and foot quickness and is quick to diagnose the play. A lack of length and leverage at the point of attack might tie him to a one-gapping scheme as a pro. The sack totals are light, but he has enough athletic ability to compete as a rusher on single blocks. West has Day 3 value as a likely three-technique backup,” Zierlein continued.

West was the 14th defensive tackle taken in the NFL Draft.

Mason Graham of Michigan (Cleveland Browns, 1st round), Kenneth Grant of Michigan (Miami Dolpins, 1st round), Derrick Harmon of Oregon (Pittsburgh Steelers, 1st round) and Tyleik Williams of Oho State (Detroit Lions, 1st round) were chosen on Thursday.

T.J. Sanders of North Carolina (Buffalo Bills, 2nd round), Alfred Collins of Texas (San Francisco 49ers, 2nd round), Shemar Turner of Texas A&M (Chicago Bears, 2nd round), Omarr Norman-Lott of Tennessee (Kansas City Chiefs, 2nd round), Darius Alexander of Toledo (New York Giants, 3rd round), Vernon Broughton of Texas (New Orleans Saints, 3rd round) and Jamaree Caldwell of Oregon (Los Angeles Chargers, 3rd round) were chosen on Friday.

Deone Walker of Kentucky (Buffalo Bills, 4th round) and Ty Robinson of Nebraska (Philadelphia Eagles, 4th round) were drafted ahead of West on Saturday.

Before he played his single season at Indiana, West played three seasons at Kent State in the Mid-American Conference. For his entire college career, West had 150 tackles and nine sacks.