South Carolina Football: Javon Kinlaw is serious Rookie of the Year candidate

The 49ers made the perfect pick for South Carolina football defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw who could create quick ROTY impact on defense.

There were several great picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. There were fewer where it was a perfect connection between their team and the new draft pick. The San Francisco 49ers made the perfect selection when they traded down to select South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

This will be a pairing that will bring instant impact to the 49ers. As a result, Kinlaw could bring enough efficiency in the 49ers’ defense to be a serious defensive rookie of the year candidate.

The selection for Kinlaw was an easy decision to make in terms of logic but the execution for the pick was what the 49ers were worried about. He was regarded as the fifth-ranked defensive player in the 2020 draft class. He slipped as far as the 14th overall pick because of the need for quarterbacks and offensive tackles for the other teams.

The 49ers were able to trade down one pick with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for an extra fourth-round pick. There were still set on picking one of the 2020 draft class’ most established and well-balanced interior defensive linemen. The 49ers were able to acquire the 13th overall pick from the Indianapolis Colts after trading their Pro Bowl-caliber tackle in DeForest Buckner. San Francisco was able to find an immediate star and efficient playmaker in Kinlaw in the Draft.

In his senior year at South Carolina this past season, Kinlaw accounted for 35 total tackles, six tackles for loss, six sacks, two pass deflections and two fumble recoveries. He was named to the All-SEC first team in his senior season. In the 2020 Senior Bowl, Kinlaw impressed many NFL coaches and scouts were overly impressed by the explosive get off, the combination of speed and strength in his pass rush, and the athleticism he possesses.

These are attributes that Buckner possessed in his four seasons with the 49ers with three of them at defensive tackle. The 49ers selected Kinlaw as a starter to place at either the one-technique defensive tackle just near the center or the three-technique defensive tackle just on the outside shoulder of the guard.

Their first-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft in defensive tackle Solomon Thomas has underachieved. He has been not put in the same progress compared to other of the 49ers’ recent first-round selections in Buckner, defensive end Arik Armstead and defensive end Joey Bosa.

Last season, Thomas played in all 16 games but only started in three of them accounting for 21 total tackles, 15 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. Their other tackle D.J. Jones is a much bigger defensive tackle that can stuff the line of scrimmage closing off running lanes and able to take on double teams. He played and started 11 games last season for the 49ers. With the way the team is trending, Jones will still be the starting nose tackle while Kinlaw will be the starting three-technique defensive tackle.

With Kinlaw at the three-technique defensive tackle, it will allow him to be free to consistently get into the backfield and make the big plays. His huge frame at 6-6, 310 pounds will not allow him to get pushed easily at the line of scrimmage. He will be a more explosive interior defensive linemen on the field than Thomas is.

Last season, the 49ers defense was ranked 17th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (112.6). This is an area that the 49ers want to improve significantly despite having a stacked defensive line. Their linebackers were the main culprits in the drop of efficiency of stopping the run later in the season.

With the potential of making big plays consistently in the backfield, making sacks, and making the rush defense better, Kinlaw has the potential to be in line for defensive rookie of the year.

Kinlaw would be the second consecutive defensive rookie of the year a year after Nick Bosa won it. He could be the first defensive tackle to win the award since 2014 when it went to the Rams’ Aaron Donald.