San Francisco 49ers coach compares key undrafted free agent to player they have never managed to replace

The San Francisco 49ers struggled significantly against the run down the stretch and in the playoffs last season.

While those surprising issues had more to do with the edges of the defense than the interior, the 49ers made an under-the-radar move to beef up the middle after the 2024 draft.

San Francisco signed FAU defensive tackle Evan Anderson as an undrafted free agent. While such deals rarely attract much in the way of fanfare, the $280,000 of guaranteed money the 49ers put in Anderson's contract indicated he has a shot to make the 53-man roster.

Helping his cause is his quest to do so is the skill set he brings to the table. Having played some of his college career at 360 pounds, Anderson always projected as a plugger whose frame could help teams significantly in defending the run.

Speaking to local reporters about Anderson on Wednesday, 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek revealed the weight has come down significantly and compared him to a former Niner whose departure after the 2021 season left a hole they have never properly filled.

Said Kocurek:

"I think he's down to about 315 right now, which is good, kind of the targeted weight we envisioned for him. Watching tape of him in college, every time I plugged on the tape of he just reminded me of a guy we had in the past, D.J. Jones. Strong with explosive traits in his lower body to be able to explode out of his stance, recreate the line of scrimmage, knock back guards, some of the things that D.J. Jones did for us down there playing the 2i from 2019 through 2021 and just the effect that D.J. had on teams in the run game. I saw a lot of the same qualities in Evan, really quick feet, he can change directions really fast, has a really thick, explosive lower body, has natural leverage built into his body, another young guy that we're really excited just to see him come in here every single day and work as hard as he can and stack one day on top of the next and get a little bit better every single day and see where it ends up here come February."

Jones enjoyed a strong career with the 49ers after being drafted in the sixth round in 2017, thriving against the run while often providing underrated pass rushing upside. It is the run-stuffing aspect of his game from that 2i technique that the Niners have struggled to replace since he left in free agency to join the Denver Broncos in 2022.

They signed Hassan Ridgeway to help address that void that same offseason, but his sole campaign was prematurely cut short by injury. Last season, former first-round pick Javon Kinlaw was relied on more regularly in a rotational role to both stop the run and rush the passer in a long overdue healthy season. Despite impressing in what proved his final year with the Niners, Kinlaw's play against the run was still largely inconsistent.

Anderson may not see the field often as a rookie if he does make the 53 and might have to be content with a place on the practice squad. There are still a host of players behind starting defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins who are ahead of him in the pecking order, the 49ers having signed Jordan Elliott in free agency to eat up snaps and provide solidity against the run.

But the 49ers clearly believe Anderson offers them a skill set that has been critical to their success in years past but one they have not had for the last two seasons. As the Niners look to get back to the defensive standards they feel they let slip even while reaching the Super Bowl last season, it is not out of the question that Anderson could soon become an important contributor.