Many things will define the 49ers’ season. Such is the nature of this complex game of football.
But perhaps no factor — not star players, injuries, or field-goal kicking — will be as crucial to determining success or failure as the play of the 49ers’ defensive rookies.
The Niners drafted six of them this past spring, and three were asked to be starters right out of the gate.
And what did we see from the kids on Sunday in Seattle? A total mixed bag, which is precisely what you should expect.
As rookies, these guys are gonna be under the microscope, by both the coaching staff and, well, by yours truly.
I watched every single snap, laser-focused on the debutants. Here’s my first report card:
MYKEL WILLIAMS: B-
The mainstream graders might’ve been harsh on Williams’ debut, but they’re missing the point. The level of difficulty here was off the charts. The kid played 75 percent of the defensive reps, making him the second-most-used defensive lineman on the team. And the ways he was deployed? I haven’t seen a Niners D-lineman used like this in the decade I’ve been covering this team.
Williams wasn’t just a strong-side defensive tackle setting the edge. He was a frequent interior tackle against Seattle, holding his own against both the run and the pass.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh even dropped him into coverage a few times. That’s a ridiculous amount of trust to have in a rookie in his first game.
The box score won’t tell you the story, but the tape will. Sure, he had some bad reps — three of them, to be exact. And Seattle’s rookie guard Grey Zabel got the better of him in one-on-ones a handful of times. (Zabel is going to be special.) But Williams was also commanding double teams and was rarely given a free run at the passer from a true end position.
From where I was sitting, the good far outweighed the bad. This was a solid, no-nonsense performance that looks even better when you consider everything he was asked to do. While most rookies get a simple game plan, this kid is being thrown into the deep end. And that, friends, is exciting.
ALFRED COLLINS: D
He only played nine snaps, and for good reason.
He had one nice win but was mostly pushed around, going for rides because his pad level was all wrong. At one point, he even tried a spin move from the middle of the line. I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.
Collins was always a boom-or-bust prospect, and his success won’t be apparent on a week-to-week basis. That said, his snap count will tell the story. And right now, it isn’t a good one.
NICK MARTIN: N/A
The third-round linebacker was a healthy scratch, which makes sense given the Niners wanted to run a lot of base 4–3 and an “over” look to get a five-man front against Seattle’s outside zone run game. But running that defense requires a big body at the strong-side linebacker (SAM) spot, and the 220-pound Martin simply isn’t that guy.
The real concern is that he hasn’t yet carved out a role on special teams. That’s a bare minimum for a player at his position taken that high in the draft and something that his frame — while disqualifying for Sunday’s gameplay — is perfectly suited to do. Until he can help in the third phase, he won’t be part of the defensive game plan for this team.
C.J. WEST: C
Only seven snaps? That’s pretty damning. He had one nice win, but for the most part, he was forgettable. You probably didn’t even notice he played.
UPTON STOUT: C-
You absolutely noticed Stout was out there. Seattle went after him all game, and they found a lot of success.
However, the kid kept fighting and got better in the second half. His performance — that belief and tenacity — is something they can work with, even if his diminutive size is a real issue in the run game.
MARQUES SIGLE: A+
I can’t say enough good things about Sigle’s debut. He was magnificent, and it’s honestly mind-boggling that he has no NFL experience and was, quite frankly, a bit player in college.
On the field for all 52 defensive snaps, Sigle was far and away the better safety on Sunday, making impact plays all over the field. Saleh blitzed him, used him as a single-high safety, a robber, and a hook and flat defender. He was excellent against the run and a step ahead in the pass game.
This would have been an exceptional performance from anyone playing his position, let alone a rookie in his first game. For this to be Sigle’s baseline is just insane.
The Niners need the next generation of stars if they want to compete for titles anytime soon. Sigle looks like he could be that star.