The San Francisco 49ers continued to beef up their defensive line in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the selection of defensive tackle Alfred Collins of the University of Texas.
Collins (6-6, 332) joins 49ers first-round pick Mykel Williams as a new addition to the defensive line. And like Williams, Collins gives defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and defensive line coach Kris Kocurek a player of terrific size and untapped potential to work with.
RELATED Alfred Collins says 49ers drafting him is 'not gonna be a mistake'
Let's take a look at what to know about Collins as he makes his way to the Bay Area.
Familiar bloodlines and a familiar comparison
Collins comes from an athletic family. His mother, Benita Pollard, played basketball at the University of Texas, while his sister, Kennedy, played basketball at Houston Baptist. But 49ers fans will recognize the name of Collins' cousin -- Trent Brown, who played right tackle for the 49ers for the first three seasons of his NFL career.
Collins told reporters after being drafted that he's spoken to Brown about what needs to be done to succeed in the NFL.
"I haven't really talked to him today, but he just said it's a job," Collins said. "You've got to work. Set yourself apart. That's really the main gist of what he was saying -- just work. That's all you can do."
Collins has been compared by NFL.com to former 49ers defensive tackle and first-round draft pick Javon Kinlaw. The 49ers never got what they hoped to get from Kinlaw before he left the team as a free agent in 2024, but perhaps they'll have better luck with Collins.
"He's a legit specimen," an NFL personnel director told NFL.com. "With the right coaching, he could end up taking off and becoming the best interior player in this class."
Collins posted a vertical jump of 26 inches and a broad jump of eight feet at the NFL Scouting Combine. He did not participate in Texas's pro day in March due to an undisclosed injury.
Plenty of experience
Collins, 23, stayed five seasons at Texas and played 63 games, totaling 142 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. He faced off against a number of NFL players at Texas, including first-round offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, while practicing against an offensive mind in head coach Steve Sarkisian.
For that reason, Collins may be able to step in on day one and become a significant contributor for the 49ers.
"I don't think you can throw anything at me I haven't already seen," Collins told The Draft Network. "I've played in a bunch of different schemes, and I've seen every scheme on offense. I went against Coach Steve Sarkisian's offense for four years in practice. That's a challenge. I feel like my experience is going to translate. I'm a very seasoned player."
Trending upward
Collins came to the University of Texas with high expectations after being rated as a five-star recruit coming out of Bastrop High School in Cedar Creek, Texas. He was viewed as an inconsistent player earlier in his career but started to emerge in his later seasons with the Longhorns, eventually becoming a first-team All-SEC player in 2024.
"I knew I had to be that guy (as a fifth-year senior)," Collins told The Draft Network. "The program was relying on me. I knew I had a lot of people doubting me as well. I wanted to prove them wrong. I put in the required work. It showed on the field."
Collins finished the 2024 season with 55 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and seven passes defended.
"With opportunity comes responsibility, and I think Alfred has assumed the responsibility of the opportunity," Sarkisian said late in the 2024 season, per SI.com. "Sometimes it's more difficult to remain consistent when 'Well, I'm going to get my you know, 10, 12, 15, plays'. But when you know you're getting counted on for 35, 40 plays a game, you tend to lean into 'I got to do all the little things right,' and whether it's your hands, whether it's your footwork, whether it's fitting a run a certain way, staying in your gap, whatever that looks like. Alfred has sees this, sees the moment, and sees the opportunity."
Check out Collins' highlights below:
Education first
Collins passed up on the opportunity to enter the NFL Draft after the 2023 season, even though he already had four years under his belt with the Longhorns. With the NCAA granting players who were in college during 2020 an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Collins returned to school to finish out his football career on a high note -- and to get his college degree.
"Football isn't going to last forever, but the degree especially from here is going to take me a long way," Collins said in 2024, per KXAN-TV. "My mom graduated from here and always tells me to finish what you start. It's Texas, man, the best school in the nation."
Ready to be a 49er
Collins told reporters after being drafted that he had contact with the 49ers during the pre-draft process but wasn't clued in to the possibility of them selecting him. He was more than happy to get the call from the 49ers, however.
"That was amazing -- amazing feeling," Collins said. "You're going to get the opportunity to play again, win some more games. It was amazing being with all my family, everybody helping me all the way, it was fantastic."
Collins said he'll be bringing "a competitive mindset" to San Francisco and will be eager to receive some mentorship from players such as linebacker Fred Warner.
"I'm ready to learn from those that have done it before me," Collins said. "I'm ready to come in and do whatever I can to win games. I'm going to be a good teammate to my teammates."
Collins spoke with Saleh and Kocurek during the pre-draft process ("I like him," Collins said of Kocurek. "He's a personable guy. Intense, about his business. The bar's set high.") and sounds more than ready to prove the 49ers made the right decision.
"They're taking a chance on me," Collins said. "It's not going to be a mistake, so I'm just blessed."
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