49ers 2020 NFL Draft: 3 traits Javon Kinlaw must showcase
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers made South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and Niner Noise breaks down what he’ll offer to the defense.
While many thought the San Francisco 49ers would use their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on a wide receiver, perhaps Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb or Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy, general manager John Lynch and Co. instead traded down a spot from No. 13 overall and selected South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
The move continues a trend the Niners have had dating back to the 2015 selection of defensive end Arik Armstead out of Oregon. San Francisco has taken a defensive lineman in every year since, aside from 2018 when the team drafted offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey.
As a result, the 49ers will continue to boast one of the most potent defensive lines in the league, which is still considerably weaker after they traded away Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts to acquire the No. 13 overall pick in the first place.
That’s all in the past now, however, and the focus now shifts to what kind of player Kinlaw could be for his new employer.
Like any prospect, Kinlaw isn’t perfect and will have to overcome some negative traits. He doesn’t necessarily have the most explosive first step, plays with a high pad level at times and will have to prove some knee issues won’t become long-term problems.
Still, there’s as good a chance as any he’ll develop into the kind of player Buckner was, anchoring the interior of San Francisco’s defensive line and providing more support to the 49ers’ elite cast of edge rushers.
Niner Noise explores the scouting reports and film, breaking down how Kinlaw will impact the Niners right away.