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49ers rookie underscores ‘violent’ nature as main asset

Originally posted on NFL on ClutchPoints
By Mike Gianakos | Last updated May 8, 2025 11:29 PM ET

The San Francisco 49ers suffered a mass exodus of talent this offseason, leaving gaping holes throughout the roster. With so many key contributors heading elsewhere in free agency, it was unclear exactly what the 49ers’ strategy would be in the 2025 NFL draft.

Despite Kyle Shanahan’s offensive background, the team opted to take defensive players with its first five picks, beginning with former Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams at 11th overall. However, the 49ers’ fourth-round selection, CJ West, has drawn unexpected praise, with the pick being called the perfect move.

San Francisco landed West with the 113th overall pick. And it certainly seems as if the DT out of Indiana will be a good fit in Robert Saleh’s defense. “I have a very quick first step but the thing I take the most pride is in how violent a player I am,” West explained via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur on X.

“I like to abuse offensive lineman,” he added.

The 49ers turned to the draft to rebuild their defensive line

Sep 28, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman CJ West (8) brings down Maryland Terrapins quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

West was actually the second defensive tackle the 49ers selected in the first four rounds of the draft. The team landed Alfred Collins out of Texas with the 43rd overall pick as well. Collins is considered the better prospect at 6’6” and 332 pounds.

West is a bit undersized for the position at 6’1” but he’s expected to clog running lanes and disrupt plays with his stout 316-pound frame. And his unique skill set and technique could help him anchor the interior of the 49ers’ defensive line for years to come.

San Francisco was living the dream. The team had selected quarterback Brock Purdy in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft. In fact, the 49ers took Purdy with the last pick in the draft. And yet somehow they got Pro Bowl-level play from Purdy while paying him less than the long snapper over his first three years in the league.

But now the remarkably beneficial contract situation has caught up with the 49ers. This reality check hit San Francisco hard this offseason as the team, which had boasted one of the league’s most stacked rosters, lost a number of key contributors.

While San Francisco earned the worst free agency grade in the NFL, according to PFF, the team rebounded nicely with the draft. While it’s impossible to completely replace the quality and quantity of talent that left the Bay this offseason, the 49ers did well to rebuild their defensive line. With Williams and Nick Bosa on the edges and West and Collins plugging up the middle, San Francisco’s defense could rebound quicker than many anticipated.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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