49ers sign second-round pick DT Alfred Collins

San Francisco doubled down on improving its defensive line after selecting Mykel Williams in the first round the night before. Many expected the 49ers to address the interior of the line on Day 1, but Collins fell to them in the second round all the same. A fifth-year senior (thanks to an extra year of eligibility from the COVID-19 season), Collins made impacts early and often as a contributor on the Longhorns defense.

Despite only starting 12 games in his first four years, Collins found plenty of ways to make an impact with 12.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and six passes defensed over that time. He became a full-time starter for the first time in 2025 and made the most of his opportunity, setting career highs in tackles (55), tackles for loss (5.5) and passes defensed (seven). He serves as more of a run stopper than a pass rusher, but he’s an elite tackler with impressive durability.

The losses of Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins were a big reason that many expected San Francisco to go for an interior defensive lineman early. Jordan Elliott returns as a starter to the line’s interior from last year, but the spot next to him is currently being manned by Kevin Givens, who started 11 games in 2022 but has only started two since. It didn’t take long for the Niners to express hopes that Collins would be able to step into a starting role next to Elliott soon.

Normally, this post would stop here, after focusing on the 49ers wrapping up their draft class signings and showing how Collins can affect the roster in 2025, but this signing has a bigger impact on the NFL outside of the Bay Area. Collins’ signing could create a domino effect of signings for the other 29 second-round picks who remained unsigned around the league.

After the Texans and Browns awarded Jayden Higgins and Carson Schwesinger, respectively, fully guaranteed contracts, Saints second-round pick Tyler Shough became the rookie to watch. As a quarterback, Shough sought the same guarantees as his fellow second-rounders. This left pick Nos. 35-39, between Higgins and Shough, sitting on their hands, waiting to see if Shough was granted those guarantees, ready to demand the same of their teams as players drafted higher than Shough.

The rest of the second round has been in a holding pattern, as well. In theory, T.J. Sanders, picked just after Shough, would be able to at least try to get the same from Buffalo, if not just under. That strategy would theoretically have continued pick after pick, with each player using the rookie ahead of them as the comparison to work off of. 

Collins, though, has broken the hold, receiving guarantees for $9M of his $10.3M deal, an 88% guarantee. Everyone ahead of him will likely continue to wait on Shough, but the rest of the second round can now start to use Collins’ deal as a launching point. This should result in several second-round deals being made in the days to come.