49ers veterans setting the tone for rookies ahead of 2025 season

The San Francisco 49ers are entering the 2025 NFL season with several new faces, including 11 draft picks vying to make an impact. After losing key contributors this offseason, the team is leaning on a strong core of veterans to help guide the next generation.

Fortunately, the 49ers still have a solid foundation of experienced players on both sides of the ball—leaders who are expected to set the tone for the team's many newcomers.

Defensive line in transition

Nowhere is the transition more evident than along the defensive line. Veterans Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd are gone, replaced by rookies Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West. That influx of youth makes veteran leadership even more critical.

Defensive end Nick Bosa, entering his seventh NFL season, is taking on a mentoring role, especially with the rookies expected to contribute early.

"Guys like Nick Bosa and Kevin Givens, who've been here the longest—both of them are going into their seventh year—I think it's instrumental that they kind of set the tone," defensive line coach Kris Kocurek said on Tuesday. "And even the guys that have been here for a calendar year, that have been within the scheme, and been here, and kind of know the way things are ran here, to be able to articulate that to the younger guys, and articulate the standard of play that we were looking for, how we want to conduct ourselves in the meeting rooms, in the weight room, on the field, and just the manner that we want to go about doing things, I think it's very, very important."

Kocurek noted the value in watching Bosa work closely with Williams, the team's first-round draft pick, as organized team activities (OTAs) got underway last week. That mentor-mentee relationship has made the coach's job a lot easier.

Following his selection as the No. 11 overall pick, Williams told reporters in April that he was eager to work with Bosa.

"I can't wait to learn from him," Williams said in April. "I've got so many questions."

And he's been asking them. Bosa has taken the time to share insights and offer tips to help the rookie thrive at the NFL level.

"Mykel being a sponge, and trying to ask Nick a lot of questions," Kocurek added, "and Nick pulling a young rookie to the side and giving him small pointers on what he could do better to help him be successful."

Fred Warner setting the standard at linebacker

That same mentorship dynamic is playing out at other positions, too. Linebackers coach Johnny Holland has watched All-Pro Fred Warner take rookie Nick Martin under his wing as Martin looks to step into the role vacated by Dre Greenlaw.

"That's one thing about our team, that they have some guys to look up to [and] shadow in just about every position," Holland said. "But to be able to shadow Fred and figure out what he's eating, how he's working out, how he's getting his rest, and the things he does off the field, and to pick his brain on the things he does on the field is very big, and Nick has definitely been shadowing."

Holland emphasized the value of peer-to-peer learning, which can sometimes be more impactful than what the coaches have to say.

"Sometimes, as a young player, you don't really know what to look for," Holland explained. "You're trying to learn your playbook. But talking to vet players, sometimes players can understand talking to other players more than they can from coaches, because they can explain to them how they see it.

"But Nick has been very good, and [LB] Dee Winters, and the whole group have been very, very good at learning from each other."

A critical year ahead

The 49ers are counting on this kind of veteran leadership to accelerate the development of their rookie class. Following a disappointing 2024 season, the team hopes that the combination of experience and emerging talent can spark a turnaround in 2025.