Defensive tackle C.J. West became the fifth defensive player taken in as many picks by the 49ers this NFL Draft.
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, or 11 spots into Saturday’s fourth round.
The last time the 49ers’ first five draft picks delivered defensive players: 1981, the first Super Bowl-winning team.
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.
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.
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, starting with Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott en route to 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).
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).
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.
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