The San Francisco 49ers are banking on major improvement from their Round 2 pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, defensive tackle Alfred Collins.
If anything, he might've been the Niners' most impactful rookie D-lineman from a year ago by default after defensive end Mykel Williams suffered a midseason ACL tear, and interior defender C.J. West slowly fell out of favor.
Yet that's not to say Collins was a revelation. Early on, it was clear he was struggling and looking not only out of place but also out of shape, suggesting San Francisco wasn't getting anything close to a return on investment. A highlight-reel play against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football helped change the narrative to a large degree, but Collins' rookie year still left a lot to be desired.
Perhaps the odd circumstances of nearly every second-round draftee delaying contract agreements with their respective teams, Collins included, can be blamed here.
Collins ultimately signed his deal in the latter half of July, and it's fair to wonder if that hindered his development early on. It also could have impacted his conditioning, too, presenting a fair conclusion that a normal offseason might now be the absolute best thing for his maturation process.
And that's what Collins will get.
49ers are banking on big things from Alfred Collins in Year 2
The massive 6-foot-5, 332-pound Collins had those flash moments a year ago, including two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a sack over 16 games played. It also might get easier for him, too, thanks to the 49ers' addition of star defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa from the Dallas Cowboys last March.
Odighizuwa should automatically take pressure of Collins to be a true interior pass-rushing anchor point, and one can wonder if the duo might eventually form a potent interior presence over the course of 2026.
The Niners would sure hope so.
Unlike last year, Collins will have the full balance of practices between now and Week 1, getting all the tutelage possible from defensive line coach Kris Kocurek while also receiving no shortage of tidbits from Odighizuwa, too.
Plus, not to be overlooked, San Francisco's 2026 draft addition of defensive tackle Gracen Halton should give Collins enough of a reason to look over his shoulder at some "friendly" competition.
Those factors could ultimately be enough to turn Collins from a "maybe" prospect into a bona fide force in the interior of the 49ers D-line.
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