San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle CJ West understands that a significant leap is required in his second NFL season. West finished his rookie campaign with 21 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack while playing 32% of the defensive snaps.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave West a 35.0 defensive grade for his performance during the 2025 season. That tied fellow rookie defensive tackle Alfred Collins for the lowest mark on the team—offense or defense.
While West posted a respectable 65.4 pass-rush grade and generated 11 total pressures, his 27.9 run-defense grade weighed heavily on his overall evaluation from the analytics website.
"Year two, I need to have one of the biggest jumps I've had in my football career," West said in an interview with Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. "Just really bringing my game to the next level. Being more dominant in the pass rush, dominating the run even more than I did, affecting the quarterback in different ways, pushing the pocket in his face. Making him have to roll out so that [DE] Nick [Bosa] could get a sack, or [DE] Mykel [Williams] can get a sack, or freeing up Alfred.
"Just changing the game in that way would make a big difference in our scheme and our team."
West's potential impact against the run is likely what convinced the 49ers to select him in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. At Indiana, he earned a run-defense grade of at least 84.5 from PFF in each of his final two collegiate seasons.
West will also be adjusting to a new defensive coordinator in 2026. Robert Saleh departed to become the head coach of the Tennessee Titans, prompting San Francisco to hire Raheem Morris as his replacement.
With second-year defensive linemen West, Williams, and Collins on the roster, the 49ers have a young core to develop as they look to improve on defense next season.
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