Evaluating the 49ers’ draft class: Did they potentially add 5 defensive starters?

I liked the San Francisco 49ers draft class. That should come as no surprise. Everyone loved everyone’s draft class this year. There were no screams of “bust” or “reach” … what’s happened to sports journalism?

There was a ton of depth this year and few blue-chip players. So many players were grouped together after the first six or seven guys, with similar grades from teams, that drafting for need was not only excusable but necessary.

Teams were also uncharacteristically cautious with a middling quarterback class. Only four went in the first 91 picks, a year after six were off the board by the 12th pick, so more players were pushed up.

The 49ers had needs after a free-agent purge, and I thought they did a nice job filling them. Defensive end Mykel Williams and defensive tackles Alfred Collins and CJ West could all start sooner rather than later (after the departures of Leonard Floyd, Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins) and complement each other well.

The 49ers are returning to their old identity after finishing 23rd in run defense DVOA last season, and their draft haul may produce five starters once you add linebacker Nick Martin and cornerback Upton Stout.

Some may regard Collins and the undersized Martin and Stout as slight reaches, but from where I sat in Las Vegas (I just changed teams after 15 years covering the Raiders) on draft weekend, those players fit well and all have upside. To ensure I am not being overly optimistic (which is pretty rare), I turned to two draft guys I trust and respect: ESPN’s Matt Bowen and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.

The long, heavy-handed Williams is a perfect fit for a Robert Saleh defense, which is evidenced by the fact that general John Lynch said the 49ers tried to even trade up from No. 11 to get him.

“He has good linear speed off the football, and when you look at Saleh’s defense and those Wide-9 alignments … you see (Nick) Bosa and how wide he is outside the tackle,” Bowen said. “That gives you a long runway and build-up speed, and what that allows you to do is attack the edges and, more importantly, play with speed to power.

“Bosa is the best speed-to-power rusher in the NFL right now, and Williams, that’s one of his best traits. He is quick, and he has other traits as well, and Saleh can use him in loaded fronts and bump him inside. Give him a running start on an offensive guard and make a guard play in space. Williams really fits their scheme.”

Players like Arik Armstead, Arden Key and Charles Omenihu have had some success in that role in the past, and it was sorely missed last season. Williams also played most of last season with a high ankle sprain, which explains the absence of better stats and also checks the toughness box.

“The 49ers sent a pretty clear message of what they felt they needed to address,” Brugler said. “Both Willians and Collins have scheme versatility, so they don’t have to be strict with how they use them. You can do a lot of things with Mykel’s length and frame, and Collins … that’s just the ‘planet theory.’ There are only so many people on this planet that are 6-foot-6 and 332 pounds and can move like he does. He is a lot more disruptive than just your typical nose tackle.”

No one is saying Collins is the next DeForest Buckner, but it’s OK to dream it after a draft.

“In terms of size and frame, Collins is very similar to what they had in the past, with Buckner and Armstead,” Bowen said. “I don’t think Collins has as much juice off the ball as Buckner does, but he has a similar physical profile to what the 49ers wanted when Saleh was there before. He is a very good run defender who is strong at the point of attack.”

The 49ers’ next two picks have question marks for now because they are undersized, with Martin a 5-foot-11, 221-pound linebacker and nickel corner Stout coming in at 5-8, 181 pounds. Martin had a knee injury last season, but the 49ers were fine with his medicals.

“Maybe Nick Martin is a reach for some teams,” Bowen said, “but in the 49ers defense, where you have two stack backers off the football that have to be able to play with pursuit speed and have to be good in coverage and be able to blitz and track the run game, and Nick Martin can do all those things for you.”

Brugler was surprised that Martin was picked in the top 100, let alone at No. 75.

“That shows how much they really liked him,” Brugler said. “He is a fun watch. You put on his tape, and he is just shot out of a cannon. Now, that lack of size will show up … but if you’re going to bank on a young player who has speed and the ability to unlock and go, I understand it.”

I discovered Stout when I was researching slot corners for the Raiders. You forget he is small because of the urgency with which he plays and how he attacks the line of scrimmage, not to mention his ability to stay attached to receivers. He started flying up draft boards with an excellent week at Senior Bowl practices.

“He is probably a nickel only, so does that mean that (Deommodore) Lenoir moves outside?” Brugler asked. “Are they going to try Stout outside? They clearly feel he can make an impact fairly quickly, but where is that going to be?”

The 49ers then added another interesting piece in West, one of the bigger reasons for Indiana’s emergence on the national scene last season. Teams could not run the ball on West and the Hoosiers, and he is also a penetrating defensive tackle in the mold of Hargrave.

“He has the lower body quickness and foot speed to beat interior linemen,” Bowen said. “Getting a player like this in Day 3 speaks to the depth of this draft, where you can find quality players in the fourth round.”

It’s quite a haul that will need some coaching, but it gives the 49ers defense some hope after it lost its way last season and cut ties with veterans this offseason — especially in the trenches with Williams, Collins and West.

“You’ve added a defensive end who has upside as a pass rusher and is a three-down defender, you have a long, powerful defensive tackle that fits your system, and now you have a penetrating defensive tackle,” Bowen said. “Saleh has to be very happy.”

(Top photos of Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins: David Rosenblum / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and Tim Warner / Getty Images)