The San Francisco 49ers continued their work on revamping the defensive front this offseason, trading for Osa Odighizuwa and drafting Romello Height and Gracen Halton. The organization is counting on those additions to help bolster a run defense that struggled with consistency in 2025 and a pass rush that produced just 20 sacks—the fewest in the NFL.
Second-year defensive tackle Alfred Collins is expected to line up alongside Odighizuwa in Week 1. He is coming off shoulder surgery but recently returned to practice during training camp.
The young defensive tackle is energized by the potential of the 49ers' revamped defensive line. According to Collins, Odighizuwa has quickly emerged as a leader, using his five seasons of NFL experience to mentor the younger players.
Still, Collins emphasized that the learning process is collaborative, with everyone in the room helping each other improve.
"Osa, he's a leader in our room," Collins told reporters after Thursday's practice. "Myself and everybody, we're just sponges to each other. They see something, they give us advice. If I see something, [I give advice]."
Collins believes he and Odighizuwa can form a disruptive interior duo capable of anchoring the defense. While he knows their chemistry will continue to develop with more reps, he's already been impressed by the veteran's influence.
Another veteran who has inspired Collins is defensive end Nick Bosa. Although Bosa is working his way back from the second ACL injury of his NFL career, his preparation and work ethic continue to set the standard for the defensive line.
"His work ethic is something I've never seen before," Collins said. "It inspires me to do more. He's been in the league for a while now, and he's in here longer than anybody. So it's inspiring to me, so I'm picking up what he's doing. And even on the field, just his effort and attention to detail, it's infectious to me and the D-line group."
Collins also expects fellow second-year defensive tackle C.J. West to take a significant step forward in 2026, giving new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris another dependable option in the interior rotation.
"We're excited," Collins said. "That's my dog, my right-hand bandit. We're ready to wreak havoc."
Halton is also expected to play a key role in the rotation. The 6-foot-3 and 293-pound rookie has the size and athleticism to make an immediate impact. For now, however, Halton is focused on absorbing as much as he can during his first NFL training camp.
"And then Gracen, he's just a sponge," Collins shared. "He's been working his butt off, getting better every day, and I'm excited to see what he does."
If the 49ers are going to dominate defensively in 2026, the development of Collins, West, and Halton, combined with the veteran leadership of Odighizuwa, could be one of the biggest reasons why. In training camp, the group's confidence and chemistry appear to be trending in the right direction.
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