The San Francisco 49ers brought back Robert Saleh to become their defensive coordinator for the second time, and they made to give some new defensive pieces. In the 2025 NFL Draft, they drafted 11 players, with six of them coming on the defensive side.
The 49ers certainly went into the draft making it a priority to improve the run defense, as the first two picks came on the defensive line. In the second round, San Francisco took Texas DT Alfred Collins with the 43rd overall pick, and he wanted to let the 49ers know they weren't making a mistake.
When speaking to reporters virtually on April 25, Collins said, "Not gonna be a mistake."
Alfred Collins Ready to Ball Out for 49ers
Collins continued to discuss how he's ready to come in on Day 1 and have a positive impact in the locker room. He stated, "A competitive mindset. I'm ready to learn from those who have done it before me. I'm ready to come in and do whatever I can to win games. And I'm gonna be a good teammate to my teammates."
Collins was a one-year starter at Texas and played nose tackle for them. He's a run-stuffing force along the interior, but played the majority of his snaps over the B-gap. The Texas native has the natural power to push linemen back and disrupt the run game.
In 64 career games, Collins has compiled 142 total tackles, 18 TFLs, 13 pass deflections, and 7.5 sacks.
He's ready to bring that energy to San Francisco and do whatever the coaching staff wants him to do. That is the exact kind of mindset you want from a rookie. Nothing is given in the NFL. You have to earn it every day, and it sounds like Collins is ready to get after it.