49ers continue stacking defensive talent for Robert Saleh as they work to rebuild a once-dominant unit
In the first round, the San Francisco 49ers had picked edge defender Mykel Williams with the 11th pick. On Friday, armed with three selections, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan looked for options to address other roster needs.They kept attacking the defensive unit, grabbing defensive tackle Alfred Collins from Texas. In the […]
In the first round, the San Francisco 49ers had picked edge defender Mykel Williams with the 11th pick. On Friday, armed with three selections, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan looked for options to address other roster needs.
They kept attacking the defensive unit, grabbing defensive tackle Alfred Collins from Texas. In the third round, they selected linebacker Nick Martin and cornerback Upton Stout.
While the picks may have a big impact on Saleh's new structure, the value for the Niners is questionable at best. All players were massive reaches compared to the consensus big board.
Collins was 64th and went with the 43rd pick, Martin was 170th and went 75th, and Stout was 175th and went 100th.
Alfred Collins Scouting Report
Alfred Collins, DT, Texas
Age (Birthday): 23 (10/8/2001)
A to Z Sports Expected Draft Position: 69
Pre-Draft Round Projection: 3
If you need a strong run defender, Alfred Collins might be the best this class has to offer. A five-star prospect out of Cedar Creek High School in Texas, Collins spent five years in Austin, Texas where he became one of the best run defenders in all of college football. His near 35" arms at 6'6" give him a major advantage against interior offensive linemen, where he can engage with them and hold his ground, only to disengage with ease to make the tackle. He doesn't offer a ton of value rushing the passer, but he will be an excellent two-down player for years with his ability to stop the run.
Career Projection: Immediate Quality Starter
Why the 49ers picked him
The interior of the defensive line was (and still is to some degree) a major concern for the team's defensive structure. Especially after the Niners released both Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins for salary cap reasons.
San Francisco entered the draft with Jordan Elliott and Evan Anderson as projected starters, while the backup options are Kalia Davis and Kevin Givens. It's a concerning group all around, both in terms of top talent and just overall numbers.
Over the past few years, the 49ers hadn't invested significant draft resources at the position—at least not since they took Javon Kinlaw with a first-round pick in 2020.
With Collins, the 49ers add a stout run defender, which seems to be a priority for Robert Saleh after the decision to select Mykel Williams in the first round.
Nick Martin, linebacker, Oklahoma State
The 49ers had their plans at linebacker derailed when Dre Greenlaw rejected their offer and decided to sign with the Denver Broncos instead. It's tough when you lose a good player in free agency, but it's even worse when you intend to keep him. Without him, Fred Warner is obviously still playing at a high level, but the 49ers needed at least one more option.
The projected starter is Dee Winters, a 2023 sixth-round pick, and whom the 49ers didn't trust to start early last season over De'Vondre Campbell, but who did show some flashes in coverage.
The off-ball linebacker room also has Luke Gifford, Jalen Graham, Curtis Robinson, Tatum Bethune, and DaShaun White.
That's probably the reason why Martin was picked ahead of where everyone was projecting. Dane Brugler from The Athletic projected him as a fifth-round pick, mentioning that he's "built more like a muscular safety." Martin was the 170th prospect on the consensus big board.
Upton Stout, cornerback, Western Kentucky
Stout played mostly as a slot corner in college, and that's his most likely spot on the 49ers. Aggressive despite his size, he has good speed and fluid movements.
While Robert Saleh tends to prioritize the defensive front, the 49ers had a dire cornerback situation and needed options. The team lost Charvarius Ward, Isaac Yiadom, Rock Ya-Sin, and Nick McCloud in free agency. The additions were modest, Tre Brown and Siran Neal, just to have some options. There was no way around that, it was imperative to add talent to the room in some way.
And without the idea of making significant financial investments with external pieces, the draft became the only viable tool to make the situation more palatable.
Right now, the projected starters at cornerback are Renardo Green, a second-round pick from last year, Tre Brown, and the big investment of the secondary, nickel corner Deommodore Lenoir.
49ers stick to the script in the first round and make the safe pick, but it’s exactly what they needed to build for the future
Mykel Williams was the obvious choice for the Niners
