49ers select West to boost defense

NFL DRAFT

Final day haul has defensive tackle as one of standouts

Running back Jordan James (20) of the Oregon Ducks runs for yardage against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half of the 111th Rose Bowl CFP quarterfinal playoff game in Pasadena on Jan. 1. KEITH BIRMINGHAM, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER — SCNG

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By Cam Inman

Bay Area News Group

SANTA CLARA >> Day 1 brought a defensive end. Day 2, three more defenders. Day 3 opened Saturday with … the drafting of another reinforcement to the 49ers’ once-gutted defense.

Defensive tackle C.J. West was taken with the 113th pick — 11 spots into Saturday’s fourth round.

The only other draft in 49ers’ history when their first five picks brought only defensive players: 1981, when rookie defensive backs Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson helped key their first Super Bowl-winning season.

“My bread and butter is at the 1-technique. That’s where I just abuse centers, punch ’em in the face, be as violent as possible, and just cause havoc down there in the middle,” West said on a video conference call with 49ers reporters.

The 49ers paused their defensive rebuild to drafting Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins (fourth round) and Oregon running back Jordan James (fifth round). Then came the fastest safety at the scouting combine, Kansas State’s Marques Sigle (fifth round).

Defensive players came with all four of the 49ers’ picks the previous two days: defensive end Mykel Williams (first round, 11th overall), defensive tackle Alfred Collins (second round, No. 43), linebacker Nick Martin (third round, No. 75) and cornerback Upton Stout (third round, No. 100).

West (6-foot-1, 316 pounds) transferred to Indiana last year after four seasons at Kent State. He and Collins help fill the interior’s void created by last month’s release of Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins.

“Me transferring was to put everybody on notice that I can do what I do at every level, to show everybody I’m a player, I’m a dog and I’m violent when I play football,” West said. “I just love this game and give it my full effort.”

West models his game after a combination of NFL veterans such as Collins, Anthony Adams, Grady Jarrett, and Aaron Donald.

Watkins clocked a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. He took a pre-draft visit to the 49ers and graded his own game film (he gave himself an 8 for blocking). He played two years at Louisville before transferring to Ole Miss, where he had 906 yards and nine touchdown catches in pairing with Jaxson Dart, a first-round draft pick by the New York Giants.

“We relied on each other a lot. I consider him to be one of my best friends,” Watkins said. “As soon as I got drafted, he texted me. That’s my guy. I don’t think I’d be in this position without him, just because he trusts me and gets me the ball. I definitely owe him a lot.”

Two spots before Watkins’ selection, Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor went to the Tennessee Titans.

James, a 15-touchdown rusher at Oregon last year, came in the fifth-round spot (No. 147 overall) that the 49ers got in last month’s trade of Deebo Samuel to Washington. While James ran the 40-yard dash in a so-so 4.55 seconds, he crossed the goal line plenty for Oregon (31 rushing touchdowns in 38 games).

“I like to think I’m pretty good at that. I’m just trying to get in the end zone,” James said. “I want to be explosive in everything I do.”

James came with the blessing and has been in contact with Frank Gore, the 49ers all-time rusher and a current personnel advisor. Gore wasn’t the fastest back (4.58-second 40) but he churned out the NFL’s third-most rushing yards. “I like to look at guys that remind me of myself. Frank Gore is definitely one of those guys,” James said. “Just a guy that’s hard to tackle. He’s explosive but we are the 4.3-speed guys but we get the job done.”

Sigle’s 4.37-second 40-yard dash was the fastest among safeties at the scouting combine, but he also sees himself as versatile enough to play cornerback. He was a two-year starter at Kansas State after transferring from North Dakota State, where he witnessed quarterback Trey Lance’s rise to the 49ers’ 2021 first-round pick. “It just tells you that when it’s time, it’s time to be ready for it. He was ready for it, and now I’m here so I’m ready for it,” Sigle said.

The 49ers entered Saturday with seven picks, those being in the fourth round (Nos. 113, 138), fifth round (Nos. 147, 160) and seventh round (Nos. 227, 249, 252).

Rookie minicamp traditionally is held in two weeks. The voluntary offseason program began this past Tuesday for returning veterans, and tight end George Kittle joined in on Friday.