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The San Francisco 49ers selected Indiana defensive tackle CJ West with the 11th pick (No. 113 overall) in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
NFL Scouting Combine:
At the NFL Scouting Combine, West posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.95 seconds and a vertical jump of 33 inches.
Measurements:
West is 6-foot-1 and 316 pounds. Additionally, he boasts an arm length of 31 1/2 inches and hands measuring 9 3/4 inches.
Hometown:
Chicago, IL
College Statistics:
West registered 40 tackles (eight for a loss), two sacks, a pass defensed, and a forced fumble through 13 games as a senior in 2024, per Sports Reference. Over his five collegiate seasons, he recorded 150 tackles (27 for a loss), nine sacks, two passes defensed, and two forced fumbles, transferring from Kent State to Indiana in 2024.
Statistical Rundown Season Team Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Comb TFL Sk 2020 Kent State MAC FR DL 3 — 1 1 — 0 2021 Kent State MAC SO DL 14 21 22 43 7 4 2022 Kent State MAC JR DL 10 13 13 26 5 1 2023 Kent State MAC SR DL 12 20 20 40 7 2 2024 Indiana Big Ten SR DL 13 14 26 40 8 2 Total 52 68 82 150 27 9 Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting report:
Fifth-year senior with three seasons as a full-time starter at Kent State and one at Indiana. West benefited from an extremely active, gaming front that created playmaking opportunities, but he also did the dirty work inside that scheme. He plays with adequate hand and foot quickness and is quick to diagnose the play. A lack of length and leverage at the point of attack might tie him to a one-gapping scheme as a pro. The sack totals are light, but he has enough athletic ability to compete as a rusher on single blocks. West has Day 3 value as a likely three-technique backup.
NFL.com Draft Bio:
- 2020 (Kent State): Redshirted. Played in 3 games as a reserve (1 tackle).
- 2021 (Kent State): Played in all 14 games with 13 starts (43 tackles, 8 TFLs with 4 sacks, PBU).
- 2022 (Kent State): Started 10 games (26 tackles, 4.5 TFLs with 1 sack).
- 2023 (Kent State): Third-team All-MAC. Started all 12 games (40 tackles, 7 TFLs with 2 sacks, FF).
- 2024: Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference. Played in all 13 games with 10 starts (42 tackles, 7.5 TFLs with 2 sacks, PBU, FF).
Pre-Draft Grade:
West earned a pre-draft grade of 5.96 from NFL.com, which equates to an “average backup or special-teams player,” per the site’s 8-point grading scale.
Projection:
NFL.com projected West to be a sixth-round draft pick.
Pro Football Focus Draft Profile:
West is on the smaller side for an NFL defensive tackle (length-wise) at just over 6-foot-1 with 31 1/2-inch arms, both ranking below the 10th percentile. But you don’t have to worry about mass, as he plays around 315 pounds, which is more than adequate for the position.
He has a quick first step and a high-energy style that makes him tough to stay in front of in pass-rush situations. He can stop, start and explode in linear movements upfield and lateral movements when shuffling along the line. His active hands help him hit moves and get clean. He can also slice through gaps like butter, usually combining his first step with a swim/arm-over move. He has impressive strength to two-gap when needed.
For a player who should always win the leverage battle, West gives up his leverage superiority too often. His shorter arms also impact his ability to wrap up and make plays in the backfield. His motor runs hot, so effort should not be a question.
Pro Football Focus Big Board:
West ranks 72nd on Pro Football Focus’ big board.
Pro Football Focus Grading:
West earned an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 83.8 in 2024.
NFL Draft Buzz Summary:
Put West in a one-gap, attacking front and watch him thrive as a disruptive early-down specialist. His innate ability to maintain leverage and shed blocks translates immediately to the pro game, particularly in systems that value penetration over read-and-react responsibilities. The film shows a player who consistently creates chaos against the run but needs technical refinement to impact passing downs consistently. His lateral quickness and hand violence will earn him playing time from day one in specific packages.
The tape against blue-chip competition reveals a defensive tackle who won’t back down from anyone. When facing elite interior offensive linemen from Michigan and Ohio State, West more than held his own—consistently controlling his gap and often creating penetration that disrupted offensive timing. The extraordinary transformation of Indiana’s run defense during his lone season speaks volumes about his impact between the tackles. His game carries a workmanlike quality with flashes of dominance when his technique aligns with his natural power.
Day three of the draft should yield several quality interior defenders, with West positioned to become one of the more impactful in the right system. His combination of run-stuffing prowess and developing pass rush ability makes him an ideal rotational piece with starter upside. Three years from now, we might look back at West as a player whose impact far outpaced his draft positioning—a gap-controlling force who developed just enough rush ability to stay on the field for all three downs.
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