3 areas where 49ers DT Javon Kinlaw must improve in 2021

No. 1: Javon Kinlaw must translate pressures into sacks

Javon Kinlaw was a solid, not necessarily explosive sack specialist back at South Carolina, finishing his collegiate career with six sacks his junior year before going pro.

Elite interior pass-rushers, such as Los Angeles Rams perennial All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald, are awfully hard to find. So, again, this is one of those categories where Kinlaw deserves a lot of slack. Like former 49ers defensive end Justin Smith, Kinlaw’s expected level of production might be purely a disruptor and someone who can open up more opportunities for the Niners’ other pass-rushers like Nick Bosa and Samson Ebukam.

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Yet there’s an interesting correlation here to discover another area of possible improvement.

In 2020, according to Pro Football Focus, Kinlaw registered 19 total quarterback pressures on 341 pass-rushing snaps, getting 1.5 sacks in the process, which all equate to a pressure rate of just six percent.

Elite pass-rushers, regardless of position, typically find themselves in the range of 10-plus percent, meaning Kinlaw putting together the skills needed to be a more consistent interior rusher could greatly improve his prowess here.

This is where the previous two improvement areas come into play. If Kinlaw can lower his pad level, thereby driving his blockers deeper into the pocket, that’ll help. So will a more consistent and balanced approach with his pass-rush moves.

So far, many of the elements are there. They just haven’t fully come together yet.

When they do, Kinlaw’s stock value to San Francisco’s defense could skyrocket.