Former IU defensive tackle C.J. West is well positioned to compete for a starting role with the San Francisco 49ers in 2025.
NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter named West one of 16 day three NFL Draft selections who has a chance to start.
After an impressive season with the Hoosiers, West was chosen in the fourth round with the No. 113 overall pick by San Francisco.
How improbable would starting as a rookie be for West?
Reuter says most players selected on the third day of the NFL draft (rounds 4 through 7) are typically expected to contribute as reserves or on special teams as rookies. His data says last season, just 11 of 157 Day 3 selections started eight or more contests, up one from the 2023 draft class but down from 16 in 2022.
West made a strong impression against elite competition in 2024, including against Ohio State and Notre Dame.
49ers General Manager John Lynch said they went to Columbus and watched West against the Buckeyes and came away impressed.
“West is extremely stout, sturdy, but also has the quickness and strength to play in the other team’s backfield. Makes a lot of splash plays in the other team’s backfield,” Lynch said to the media after the West selection.
West wasn’t the only defensive lineman the 49ers chose in the draft as they attempted to rebuild up front via a youth movement. But Reuter laid out the scenario for West to see the field this fall on early downs.
“The 49ers spent two picks in the first two rounds (Mykel Williams in the first and Alfred Collins the second) to bolster their thin D-line, and they continued the trend with West in Round 4. While Collins is a tall people-mover, West is a 6-foot-1, low center-of-gravity nose tackle with quick enough feet and hands to defeat blocks, making him a top-notch run defender.”
West played one season with the Hoosiers after transferring from Kent State, and he was a key part in their historic 2024 run. He finished fourth on the team with 7.5 tackles for loss, and his two sacks tied him for fourth on the team as well. Pro Football Focus graded West highly, with the 14th-best overall grade among interior defenders in the country.
West was one of eight members of the 2024 Indiana team who signed deals with NFL teams this spring.
For complete coverage of former IU athletes in the professional ranks, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
- You can follow us on Twitter: @daily_hoosier
- Find us on Facebook and Instagram
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
