The grades are in for the 49ers’ day 2 picks. Opinions vary pretty widely.
The final day of the 2025 NFL Draft gets underway later this morning, but in the meantime, we’ve got plenty of draft grades for the second and third rounds on the second. The 49ers had a busy Friday with three picks. They came away with defensive tackle Alfred Collins, linebacker Nick Martin, and cornerback Upton Stout.
We took a look at media grades following the first round. Today, we’ve got a look at media grades, but we’ll open with Niners Nation grades that include polls to get y’alls thoughts. Opinions vary pretty wildly on those picks. The Collins pick mostly gets the top grade, but Martin and Stout have grades that are a little all over the place.
Niners Nation grades
Alfred Collins: A/B
Nick Martin: C+
Upton Stout: B
SB Nation: A, D+, B-
Collins: A — I know that the pass rush upside is limited, but this is a perfect pick for the Niners’ biggest issues. Collins is one of the best run defenders in the class, a force at moving people in a one or two gap defense. He’s going to immediately help the Niners boost their run defense that got gashed last year.
Martin: D+ — I mean…whoa. I like Nick Martin as a player, but I liked him more on Day 3 than in Round 3. This feels really rich, but Martin is a good coverage linebacker who can man up on backs and tight ends. Just think there’s better players out there.
Stout: B- — Stout is a diminutive dynamo, probably keeping him at nickel, but he’s a hard hitting and productive cornerback who wants to play in your face. I still think Quincy Riley might’ve been better because of his size, but Stout feels like a 49er type pick.
The Athletic
Collins: A
With his girth, incredible wingspan (85 inches) and arm length (35 inches), Collins is the requisite two-gap defensive tackle necessary for San Francisco’s defense. He will be an immediate rotational piece, with starting ability. The 49ers are remaking their defensive front.
Martin: B
A knee injury cost Martin seven games last fall, but he blends a combination of speed and athletic ability, which allows him to play well in space. In 2023, Martin led the Big 12 in tackles with 140, including 16 tackles for loss and six sacks. He should be a matchup player in Robert Saleh’s defense.
Stout: B
Stout is a super competitive, speedy corner who held up well outside, despite playing at just 5-8, 181. He will hit anything in his path, no matter how much bigger the opposition happens to be. Stout also played nickel at Western Kentucky, which is where he’ll likely fit in with the 49ers.
Pro Football Focus
Collins: Above average
With Robert Saleh back at the helm of this 49ers defense, San Francisco has renewed focus on the trenches with its first two picks. Collins has incredible length and versatility to play anywhere from 0- to 5-technique. His pass-rush profile leaves room for improvement, but his high floor as a run defender (85.0 PFF run-defense grade) will allow him to contribute to the rotation early.
Martin: Below Average
Martin is an undersized linebacker at only 6 feet and 220 pounds. He had his 2024 season cut short by injury but has an athletic profile that should allow him to fly around to the ball. Martin earned an 84.4 PFF grade in 2024.
Stout: Below Average
While Stout’s size limitations may hinder his contributions at the next level, he provides fire and positional versatility that defensive coordinators love. He will likely be limited to the nickel, but his solid marks as a run defender (90.0 PFF grade) and coverage defender (78.3) will earn him a role in the NFL.
NFL.com: A+
Collins joins the 49ers’ front four next to first-rounder Mykel Williams. Finding a massive tackle (possessing underappreciated athleticism) to win the line of scrimmage was necessary with the release of Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave.
I had the 49ers selecting Martin in the fourth round in my latest mock draft, but I can’t blame them for choosing their new Dre Greenlaw a bit earlier given the lack of linebacker talent in this draft. They also met another need in the third by selecting a promising cornerback in Stout, whose toughness could overcome his small stature whether lined up inside or outside.
CBS Sports
Collins: B-
Towering, enormous, wide-bodied DT who will instantly boost the 49ers run defense. Which was a clear need for a San Francisco defense that’s clearly lacking on the interior after recent departures there. Supreme length and deceptive movement skills. Pass-rush is minimal. Early but sensible position addressed.
USA Today
Collins: B+
The outlook for the 49ers’ defensive interior after the team parted with Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins was rather shaky, but San Francisco did a nice job of capitalizing on a deep class at defensive tackle. Collins should have no trouble controlling the line of scrimmage and stuffing the run, though you likely won’t find him chasing down quarterbacks with any regularity. But Nick Bosa and first-round pick Mykel Williams can lead the charge there.
Martin: C
The production and playmaking range – recall that Martin caught up with 40-yard dash record-setter Xavier Worthy to make a tackle – are major pluses. But a missile-like mentality toward finding the ball too often results in misfires for Martin, who also might be engulfed by bigger blockers.
Stout: C+
Stout joins linebacker Nick Martin as the next undersized but extremely active playmaker to join San Francisco’s defense. He has been likened to Amik Robertson, but he might be boxed into a role that emphasizes his quickness and shields him from mismatches.
The 33rd Team
Collins: B-
Alfred Collins raises the floor of San Francisco’s woeful defensive tackle room. He’s experienced and has an NFL body, so he should see the field plenty in 2025. Collins doesn’t have the ability to collapse the pocket well enough to be more than a role player, but the class was thinning out at the position by the time they made their pick.
Martin: D
A small linebacker without great instincts, it’s hard to see Nick Martin immediately being a plus player with San Francisco. He has the right mindset to be effective, but the physical limitations and lack of traits is concerning.
Stout: C-
Despite the size limitations, Upton Stout was a big winner from the All-Star Circuit. He’s so quick and reactive that he can survive despite having so many physical impediments. This was earlier than anyone expected, but he could emerge as a useful slot player.
Bleacher Report
Collins: C
The San Francisco 49ers’ plan is becoming crystal-clear after their first two picks in this year’s draft. They’re getting bigger and more physical at the point of attack on defense.
First-rounder Mykel Williams is far more advanced as a run defender than a pass-rusher at this point in his career. Between Williams and Texas’ Alfred Collins, the Niners now have two bullies who can control the line of scrimmage and allow Nick Bosa to run wild off the edge.
Collins is a 6’6”, 332-pound nose tackle. The first-team All-SEC defender is going to excel against the run and clogging lanes, but he doesn’t provide much as a pass-rusher.
Collins did muster seven sacks at Texas, although they came over a five-year span. He never surpassed two in a single campaign. Bottom line, he’s a space-eater who allows others to make plays.
Martin: D
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan must see a little Sam Mills in the sub-6’0”, 221-pound Nick Martin.
Martin put up huge numbers at Oklahoma State in 2023 with 140 total tackles and 16 tackles for loss. However, a knee injury held him back this past season.
The Niners can only hope that Martin comes in and eventually replaces Dre Greenlaw.
Stout: B+
Renardo Green should be bumping to outside corner this offseason after the San Francisco 49ers selected Western Kentucky’s Upton Stout with the 100th overall pick.
Don’t judge Stout by his size. He has enough potential to become a Jedi master at nickel corner.
The sub-5’9”, 181-pound cornerback doesn’t have any margin for error when it comes to how and where he plays. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cornerback in this year’s class who shows more fluidity in his movement skills and competitiveness in style of play.
Stout will force any receiver to work for everything he can get in a route while acting like a rogue one with his toughness against the run.