Robert Saleh says 49ers Rookie D-Lineman is "Behind the Eight Ball"

That doesn't sound great.

Jun 11, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh speaks to the media following a team OTA at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Through eight days of training camp, there's good news and bad news about the 49ers' two rookie defensive linemen.

The good news is that fourth-round pick C.J. West looks outstanding, someone who will be in the NFL for a long time. In fact, he looks like a veteran already. Expect him to make a big impact this year.

The bad news is that second-round pick Alfred Collins is struggling big time. He's losing almost all of his reps during the 1-on-1 pass-rush drills.

Alfred Collins is having a rough start to training camp

May 9, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers second-round draft pick Alfred Collins (99) watches his teammates work out during the teamís rookie minicamp. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

On Friday after practice, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was asked about Collins' development.

“He's coming along," Saleh said. "He missed all of OTAs, not to make excuses for the young man, but he did. It was with an injury, so it wasn't like he was camping out, doing D-line drills. He was just trying to get up to speed. So, he's behind the eight ball, but he's working hard. Love the way he's approaching every day, and he'll catch up. He's a big body with good feet. Those are things you can't teach. It's just a matter of time before he gets his legs underneath him and he starts to make more of an impact. That's visible.”

Saleh makes great points. And it's true, Collins missed rookie minicamp, OTAs and minicamp with a calf injury, so he's not really in football shape yet.

Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas defensive lineman Alfred Collins (DL08) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Still, he seems to struggle with all the things that can be coached. His get-off is slow. His pad level is high. He doesn't consistently use his length. And he sometimes gives up mid-play if he doesn't win. He should be able to improve in all of these areas, but the development will be gradual.

Fortunately for Collins, the 49ers have one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL -- Kris Kocurek. As long as Collins can remain healthy, Kocurek should be able to mold him into a quality player over time.

In lots of ways, Collins is similar to former 49ers first-round pick Javon Kinlaw. He also was raw coming out of college, and his development was delayed due to numerous injuries. But he has been healthy for the past two seasons. As a result, he has improved, and the Washington Commanders recently gave him a lucrative extension. So, there's hope for Collins.

Still, don't be shocked if West plays more than Collins this year.