Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Friday, May 2nd, 2025
“One of Saleh’s primary coaching points has always been that his defenses have to earn the right to rush the passer by first stopping the run. In Saleh’s first four seasons in San Francisco, the 49ers were sixth in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (4.1) and third in EPA on defensive rush plays (132.29).
Which explains why the Niners’ top picks were made with an eye toward returning to the days of shutdown run defense.”
49ers’ NFL Draft class: Scot McCloughan dishes on Mykel Williams, C.J. West, more (paywall)
“McCloughan had Williams rated about the same as Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant — one of the largest defenders in the draft — and slightly ahead of Texas A&M defensive end Shermar Stewart and Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen, whom McCloughan also liked from a talent standpoint. He said he had no issue with either Williams’ or Stewart’s lack of sack production in college.
“Everybody says that — ‘Sacks, sacks, sacks!’” he said. “It doesn’t matter. What matters are disruptions. The quarterback runs out of the pocket because (Williams) gets back there, and somebody else makes the sack. Or he’s throwing the ball away”……McCloughan had Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins rated as a mid-second-round pick, which is roughly where the 49ers took him. He said Collins isn’t as athletic and twitchy as Grant, who ended up being drafted No. 13 by the Miami Dolphins, but that he sees Collins at minimum becoming a rotational player for San Francisco.
“He’s a tough guy, a run stopper,” McCloughan said. “He’s not going to ever be a good pass rusher. But he plays hard. He’ll help them this year, I guarantee it.”
49ers bring in Kenneth Almendares, NCAA’s top kicker, to challenge Jake Moody (paywall)
“Last season Almendares led the nation in field-goal percentage (90.3%), making 28 of 31 attempts, and won the Groza Award, which is given to college football’s top placekicker.”