Over the past few seasons, the San Francisco 49ers have shed quite a bit of talent. One guy they let find the exit door was veteran defensive tackle D.J. Jones, who has emerged as a standout starter for the Denver Broncos in his first three seasons with them. Since his departure, the 49ers have struggled to find a run-stuffing interior presence to replace Jones.
After moving on from several more key players this offseason, San Francisco attacked the defensive side of the ball in the 2025 NFL Draft, as they used their first five picks on defenders. The final player of that group is defensive tackle CJ West, but if you ask Jones, who has spent time watching the Niners during their joint practices with the Broncos this week, he thinks West may be the real deal.
D.J. Jones Sends Strong CJ West Message to 49ers
West spent four seasons in college with the Kent State Golden Flashes before transferring to the Indiana Hoosiers in 2024. On paper, West fits a similar playstyle as Jones, as he primarily works on clogging running lanes in the middle, while also opening pass-rushing lanes for his teammates by drawing the attention of multiple offensive linemen.
In his lone season with Indiana, West racked 40 tackles, eight of which went for a loss, two sacks, one pass deflection, and a fumble forced. At 23 years old, he’s a bit older than other NFL prospects, but his five-year collegiate career could help him make the jump to the pros and immediately contribute on San Francisco’s defensive line.
The Niners feature a starting defensive tackle duo of Kevin Givens and Jordan Elliott, but with Givens expected to miss the start of the regular season due to a pectoral injury, West has gotten a longer look early on at training camp. Even though the two weren’t going up against each other, West’s strong play caught the attention of Jones, who thinks the rookie may finally be his proper replacement for the 49ers.
“They’ve been trying to replace me for a while,” Jones said of San Fran when speaking with reporters. “I think they got something here with CJ West.”
49ers Could Be Forced to Rely on CJ West Right Out of the Gate
Injuries plagued the 49ers in 2024, but they appear to be in a better position to deal with them in 2025. Case in point, West has emerged as a standout performer early in training camp, which is good, because with Givens out, he could be called upon to start Week 1. It’s a big jump for a fourth-round rookie to have to make, but it appears to be one West is more than comfortable making.
Jones gradually turned himself into an everyday player for San Francisco, and now he thinks West could be following in his footsteps. Putting together a strong performance in a regular season game is far more difficult than doing so in training camp, but the early returns on West are encouraging, and the team should be comfortable turning to him as a Week 1 starter if Givens isn’t ready for the start of the season.
