49ers camp: 3 rookies excelling, 1 struggling

Andrew Nemec

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49ers camp: 3 rookies excelling, 1 struggling image

The San Francisco 49ers are placing two big bets on the upcoming season.

One, that the team's star players can stay healthy, most notably running back Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle, offensive tackle Trent Williams and defensive end Nick Bosa.

The other?

That a handful of rookies can hit the ground running and bolster a defense that entered the offseason with several holes.

So far, the results have been encouraging, as three San Francisco rookie defenders are generating rave reviews.

First-round pick and defensive end Mykel Williams has hit the ground running, winning a big rep against Trent Williams and setting the edge on early downs so far in camp.

For the former Georgia star, the projection appears to be a lot more "Arik Armstead" and a not so much "Aldon Smith," but that would help immensely in the run game. 

“Mykel Williams, let’s cut the bull," NBCS's Matt Maiocco said. "He’s a starter week 1. No doubt about it, but can he be a 3 down player where he plays base down, sets the edge in the run game on 1st and 2nd down. Then slides inside and rushes the passer on 3rd down?”

That's the profile general manager John Lynch was going for when he selected Williams in the top half of the first round.

But it's the mid-round selections who are providing even more optimism.

Fourth-round pick and Indiana run-stuffing specialist C.J. West has maybe been the surprise of camp.

He's been dominant - moreso even than Williams and second-round defensive tackle Alfred Collins.

“Another day, another strong performance from rookie DT C.J. West. West won all four of his reps against Zack Johnson, Matt Hennessy, Nick Zakelj and Drew Moss," ESPN's Nick Wagoner said. "Saleh said West still has things to clean up (as you'd expect) but the Niners are eager to see guys like West against the Broncos in joint practices next week.”

San Francisco has one of the NFL's worst defensive tackle situations last season.

If West can provide above-average line play as a rookie, the 49ers defense could take a big step forward.

Set at cornerback with Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green, Lynch snagged nickel corner Upton Stout, out of Western Kentucky, in the late third round.

He's been a hit so far. 

"The guy plays way bigger than he is and way bigger than he looks," defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. "He's got a violence to him; He's got a violence to his demeanor." 

That sentiment was shared by All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner.

When asked about which rookie has the most "dawg" in him, Warner didn't hesitate.

"Right now the guy sticking out the most is Upton Stout," he said. "Probably the smallest dawg in the fight, with the biggest dawg in here (taps his heart). I love watching Upton and the way he competes at the nickel position… The guy has it.”

The one disappointment so far? Collins, a second-round pick who missed minicamp with a calf injury.

"Alfred Collins not only was a second-round pick, he was a fairly high second-round pick," Matt Barrows said. "And he's behind those two guys. He's even behind Sebastian Valdez, who's an undrafted guy." 

"Saleh's point the other day, and it's probably the right one, is ok, this is a guy that didn't practice in the spring. He was out with a calf injury, didn't even do any individual pass rush drills or anything like that. So, he's going through, now, what everyone else was going through in the spring."

If, in fact, Williams, West and Stout can provide a positive impact in Year 1 San Francisco may return to its Super Bowl-caliber ways. 

Andrew Nemec

Andrew Nemec has covered high school sports and the recruiting landscape for more than a decade, with an emphasis on the former and current Pac-12 footprint. Nemec, who hosts his own radio show on ESPN-affiliate 1080 The FAN in Portland, Oregon, is a graduate of the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication.