Like most NFL rookies, 49ers defensive tackle and first-round draft pick Javon Kinlaw has had his share of ups and downs during his initial NFL season. And fairly or unfairly, he's even heard his share of criticism along the way as a result. But on Thursday, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh gave a glowing evaluation for how Kinlaw has performed as a rookie while expressing optimism over what Kinlaw's career will look like in the future.
Kinlaw has 33 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and one touchdown this season after being selected by the 49ers with the 14th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He came into the NFL with big shoes to fill after the 49ers decided to trade Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts in March, and while he hasn't quite reached the heights Buckner put together during his years with the 49ers (and this season with the Colts), Kinlaw has done more than enough to leave Saleh satisfied.
"With regards to Javon, I think his track this year and what he's been able to do as a rookie has been awesome," Saleh said during his press conference Thursday, courtesy of 49ers.com.
Kinlaw hasn't had the amount of highlight plays the 49ers received from defensive end Nick Bosa after they selected him in Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft, but Saleh wasn't expecting that. Saleh said Kinlaw's transition to the NFL has been more difficult, given the nature of the position he's being asked to play.
"It's just my opinion that the second hardest position behind the quarterback is the interior defensive lineman," Saleh said. "It's a different animal in there. You can't bully people like you have your entire life. You go through high school, college, you're just bigger, stronger, faster than everybody. Then you get to the NFL and the blocking combinations are different. The speed's different. The power's different. Their pass-rushing is different because those guys play a game within a game. So, there's a huge learning curve with regards to being able to go in there and play at a very consistent level."
Saleh added, "I think a lot of people, especially in this area, got spoiled with Bosa last year, because it's kind of a unicorn type season that he had a year ago for a rookie."
Saleh's comments on Kinlaw are similar to those recently made by head coach Kyle Shanahan, who told KNBR radio earlier this month that he'd very happily select Kinlaw again if he was given a do-over of the 2020 NFL Draft. Saleh may not be around to coach Kinlaw in the future given the possibility of him soon becoming an NFL head coach himself, but he thinks it's only a matter of time before Kinlaw becomes the type of impact player the 49ers had with Buckner before they decided to part ways.
"I love his mindset. I love his practice habits," Saleh said of Kinlaw. "I love his want for more knowledge and because of it, I just think once he puts together a great NFL offseason and continues to build all that strength that he has and really hones in on his weight, he learned what kind of weight he wants to play at, and so I just think the sky's the limit for him. I think he's going to be very, very disruptive in there. I think he's going to be a force on the interior defensive line for a while.
"Obviously for him, it's going to start with this offseason and doing everything he can to get a little bit stronger and then obviously if he plays with the same mindset and the same intensity that he has all season, it's only going to become easier and he's going to get to that point where he just overwhelms people."
