49ers roster: Kevin Atkins a key stash-player candidate in 2021

The 49ers grabbed undrafted free-agent nose tackle Kevin Atkins after the 2022 NFL Draft, and he’s poised to make his mark as a long-term development player.

Profiling each player on the San Francisco 49ers’ 90-man offseason roster is always fun, but it’s a lot more intriguing when we get to discuss less-heralded fringe players, especially rookies, who don’t receive anywhere near the recognition of top-profile NFL Draft picks.

Such is the case with one of 14 undrafted free agents the Niners brought in following the 2022 NFL Draft, former Fresno State defensive tackle Kevin Atkins.

Atkins, the four-year collegiate starter with the Bulldogs who redshirted a senior campaign in 2020 to return in 2021, nevertheless has a long way to go to crack San Francisco’s regular-season roster right away.

However, he could be one of those undrafted finds who slowly works his way towards being an active gameday player.

Let’s take a look at the 6-foot-2, 307-pounder’s prospectus for his rookie season and what potential long-term impact he might have.

Why Kevin Atkins finds a home with 49ers in 2022

More often than not, short and squatty 1-technique nose tackles are run-defense specialists only, but that’s not the case with Atkins, who recorded an impressive seven sacks and 13 tackles for a loss in 2021, capping off a collegiate tenure that revealed some notable interior pass-rushing abilities:

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 5/24/2022.

Check out some of the positive attributes from Pro Football Network’s pre-draft scouting report on him:

"Explosive interior defensive lineman who can be used as a traditional tackle or a 3-technique lineman. Displays an explosive first step off the snap, easily moves about the field, and uses his hands to protect himself. Bends his knees, plays with terrific pad level, and easily alters his angle of attack or changes direction."

Under the tutelage of well-renowned San Francisco defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, it’s not without possibility Atkins thrives within this kind of system and has his talents maximized.

That could translate into a solid rotational role right away, especially if he’s tasked with specific duties tailored to his skill set.

Why Kevin Atkins doesn’t latch on with 49ers in 2022

There are still some things working against Atkins, though, one of which being the reality UDFA players always face an uphill struggle to crack the 53-man roster.

Atkins suffered a pectoral injury during his pro-day workouts, which likely influenced him to go undrafted. That’ll be something to monitor from the point of organized team activities through training camp.

Additionally, as that same PFR scouting report pointed out, Atkins is “inconsistent” and “does not play to his size,” which means it’ll take some serious ramping up for him to make his mark anytime soon.

Plus, with a number of more-established 49ers defensive linemen in his way on the depth chart, it might be a long-shot journey for him to survive initial roster cuts.

Chances Kevin Atkins makes 49ers’ 53-man roster

There’s a likelihood Atkins takes a similar path to a regular-season roster as did another Niners interior lineman, Kevin Givens, who was also a UDFA and had to spend much of his rookie 2019 season on the practice squad before finally getting a decent shot in 2020 in relief of former San Francisco nose tackle D.J. Jones, who was dealing with injuries.

Jones is gone to the Denver Broncos now, but the 49ers are hoping fellow linemen like Givens, Javon Kinlaw, Hassan Ridgeway and Maurice Hurst, among others, can help fill that particular void.

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Simply put, Atkins will have to beat out at least two or three of those other veterans to stand a remote chance.

In reality, Atkins probably winds up being pegged as a practice-squad candidate, someone who can hone his development in year one with the long-term projection of being a Givens-like player, finally getting a much better chance in 2023 at the earliest.