San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh spoke with team reporter Keiana Martin for this week's State of the Franchise event and discussed rookie defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
Saleh offered up his scouting report of the team's first-round pick.
"He's a very large human being," Saleh shared, "very explosive, very powerful, plays with the mindset that we like, a very angry football player. So he possesses the skill set that we look for, especially at the defensive line spot."
As a rookie, Kinlaw will be among the players most impacted by an abnormal offseason limited by the COVID-19 pandemic. Players have yet to meet face-to-face with their coaches. Unlike returning players, though, Kinlaw is trying to pick up a new defense, an NFL-sized playbook, and replace a Pro Bowl defensive tackle.
"It's always going to hurt, from a coach's standpoint, anyway," Saleh said. "Veterans will argue otherwise that not having OTAs and not being able to go through those adjustments, the feel, the first time in the locker room, being able to get all that out of the way so that when he does hit training camp, it's not new to him."
The 49ers made Kinlaw the No. 14 overall pick. The defender racked up 10 sacks in his final two years at South Carolina while adding 65 tackles, 15 for a loss, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries during those seasons.
San Francisco is hoping to get good production out of its rookie to avoid any defensive drop-off. That's a lot of pressure for a player who won't get on the practice field until training camp next month, at the earliest.
Added Saleh: "There is going to be a little adjustment period, but hopefully, he catches on quick and gets rolling."
