The San Francisco 49ers have training camp kicking off on Saturday, as the dog days of summer are over. They will have a month of practices to gear up for the campaign, which will give several players the chance to stand out.
The defensive side of the ball will have Raheem Morris taking over as coordinator after Robert Saleh left to become the Tennessee Titans' head coach. This group has Fred Warner and Nick Bosa coming back from serious injuries, so they will need other guys to step up.
And second-year defensive tackle Alfred Collins should be someone on fans' radar.
ESPN's Nick Wagoner released his training camp preview and listed Collins as a player to watch:
"His rookie season took some time to get going after he arrived with a calf injury, but the Niners were pleased with how Collins reshaped his body and improved as the campaign went along. He is coming back from offseason shoulder surgery, but if he can take another step forward, it would help solidify the defensive line."
And even though Collins didn't have the rookie campaign that everyone wanted, he has the traits and skills to be an impact player in 2026.
49ers fans should keep a close eye on Alfred Collins at camp
It was rough at times for Collins last year, as he came into the building with a calf injury that he re-aggravated at his Texas Pro Day. That cost him spring workouts before returning to start camp. He then injured his shoulder at the end of the season, which required offseason surgery.
As he rehabbed, he missed all of spring workouts but should be ready for training camp, which is exactly what they want to see. Last season, he appeared in 16 games and making one start. In those outings, he finished with 17 total tackles, four QB hits, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles and two recoveries.
The 24-year-old pro showed what he can do, which also featured him forcing a fumble on the 1-yard line on Rams running back Kyren Williams. That play was a difference-maker in the 26-23 win over Los Angeles.
Collins was a solid rotation piece, notching 492 snaps, which came out to 48 percent of the defensive snaps. While San Francisco traded for Osa Odighizuwa, Collins is next in line to be his running mate along the interior.
With a strong summer in camp and the preseason, Collins could be full steam ahead to a bigger role this season. San Francisco's defensive line needs a few people to step up in 2026, and if Collins is one of the names to do so, it would go a long way toward solidifying the front four.
The 49ers used a second-round pick on Collins for a reason. Now it's up to him to prove them right, and he'll have the pathway to doing so this summer.
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