Briana Jeannel
Padded practices are in full force, competition is ramping up, and the San Francisco 49ers trio of rookie defensive linemen,C.J. West,Mykel Williams, andAlfred Collins, are making the most of their first NFL training camp.
For West, the physicality of padded practices is exactly what he's built for.
"As a defensive lineman, that's what you play the game for, the violence and the physicality," West said. "When we finally put the pads on and get after it, that's what I was most excited for. Once the pads go on, that's when you really elevate your game.
"That's what my game kind of insists. I'm very violent player, very physical when it comes to the point of attack. So, once the pads come on, makes it a little easier for me to do my job."
West's physicality at practice hasn't gone unnoticed. He's drawn praise from coaches for his grip strength and explosiveness, and he's been soaking up knowledge from veterans likeNick Bosa, taking note of his hand usage and get-off.
"Every time Bosa goes, I watch every single rep," West said. "I watch every step he takes, how he uses his hands, how he takes his first steps. I watch it all because he's a great player and one day I want to be a great player and really make a name for myself in the league. So, I take every little thing. Even though we play different positions, some of the stuff does translate.
"There was one practice where he (Bosa) was watching me get off and he's like, 'Hey, just keep doing that every single rep. And translate that to team (drills) as well, because during team, a lot of things are thrown in. You've got the play, you've got to know what formation the offense does, but if you just focus on getting off the ball, you'll be okay.'"
West models his game after another former 49ers defensive tackle: D.J. Jones, a sixth-round pick in 2017 who flourished under defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, and just happens to be returning to town for joint practices next week with the Denver Broncos.
"I watched a lot of tape on him when I was back in college," West said. "When you're a college player, you kind of look to see who you look like in the NFL, what kind of role you might play. In watching games, I'm like, 'Man, I look a lot like that guy. We have the same frame, same height, arm length, and different things. We kind of have the same play style.'
"Then, when I got drafted here, I was like, 'Oh, man, I've really got to dive deep into it,' because he was really successful in this game and under coach Kris, he did really well."
West isn't the only rookie catching eyes. Williams, the first-round pick out of Georgia, has already earned first-team reps and is impressing coaches with his mature-style of play and versatility.
"There was no conversation about it," Williams said of working with the starters. "I just try to come in and do my job to the best of my ability."
Known for his advanced technique, Williams credits his college position coaches and pass rush specialists like Chuck Smith and Brandon "BT" Jordan for helping refine his hand usage. Now, he's learning from the best at his position.
"I've taken a lot in from Nick (Bosa)," Williams said. "He's been a great help for me, especially in the pass rushing and hand use game. I definitely took tools from that. And then, just watching him practice, just looking at his mentality as he practiced. Those are some things that I've definitely picked up on."
Collins, meanwhile, is finding his rhythm while learning a new defensive scheme in The Bay, and is embracing the learning curve.
"This is a new scheme for me," Collins said. "It's go, no reading. So, I'm working on that and getting better every day... like Coach K said, sharpen the axe every day."
Though each rookie brings a different skill set to the room, they're leaning on each other daily: sharing notes, reminders, and encouragement as they adjust to the NFL.
"We're always talking to each other," Collins said. "If we have any confusion, the way C.J., Mykel, or Sea-Bass (DLSebastian Valdez) remembers it might help me remember. We're always collabing and I feel like that really helps... It's a challenge and I love it. We all love a challenge."
As the rookies look ahead to joint practices next week, they're focused on one thing: growth.
"This is not like college. You don't get a redshirt year," West said. "When you come in, you need to be ready to play.
"I was always told pressure is never given, It's earned. We feel like we've earned that pressure and we're going to do everything we can to continue to break those barriers that we need to do throughout practice. When it comes to pressure, we're just going to continue to work and get one percent better every day and that's all that really matters. The outcome will be the outcome, but it all depends on how we work."
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