Kris Kocurek, the defensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers, must be pleased with the roster he has to work with. The front office has assembled a revitalized defensive line that looks younger, stronger, and capable of both stopping the run and pressuring opposing quarterbacks. This is exactly what San Francisco’s defense needed, as the 49ers finished near the bottom of the NFL in run defense at the end of the 2024 season.
For this reason, the organization initiated a full rebuild of the defensive line. During the 2025 free agency period, several key players departed, but new talent arrived through the draft. These included run-stopping specialists like Alfred Collins, Mykel Williams, and C.J. West.
However, injuries took a serious toll on the team. Mykel Williams’ absence weakened the line’s solidity against the run. At one point, even the backups were dealing with injuries, affecting both run defense and pressure on opposing quarterbacks. San Francisco generated very few sacks and limited quarterback pressure.
As a result, during this offseason, John Lynch has emphasized the need to create more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. In the 2026 NFL Draft, San Francisco added Romello Height, a natural edge rusher with a strong ability to pressure the quarterback from the outside. Height stands out for his speed and explosive first step, which allow him to reach the quarterback quickly.
The 49ers also brought in Gracen Halton, a player who primarily lines up as a defensive tackle but began his college career as a defensive end. This positional versatility allows him to align both inside and outside on the defensive line. He possesses great agility and lateral speed to evade offensive blocks and generate pressure from the interior.
These new additions join Osa Odighizuwa, who came from the Dallas Cowboys. He was a key contributor there, providing pressure from the interior of the defensive line. Odighizuwa has all the tools to become a fundamental piece for the 49ers, as he can help generate the interior pressure this group needs. At one point, Javon Hargrave was brought in to fill that role, but he also dealt with injuries that limited his performance. Both Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd left the team in 2025, paving the way for the group’s rebuild. Cam Sample is another player who arrived via free agency in 2026, with the goal of adding depth to the defensive line.
Today, nearly the only remaining reference from the 2024 defensive line is Nick Bosa, the unit’s leader and chief playmaker. Bosa is currently rehabbing the injury he sustained last year. His return will be crucial for San Francisco, complementing what the team has done in the 2025 and 2026 drafts. The combination of these two selection processes has resulted in run-stopping specialists like Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and C.J. West. Mykel Williams, along with Keion White, offers similar positional versatility—both can line up outside as defensive ends or inside as defensive tackles. With the 2026 draft, players like Romello Height and Gracen Halton joined the team, along with undrafted free agent Mikail Kamara from Indiana University. These newcomers add to other young players already on the roster, such as Sebastian Valdez, who has shown promise in preseason. Analyzing this defensive line group reveals considerable depth.