At the core of the 49ers' unexpected run to the Super Bowl was their elite defensive line. Consensus top prospect Nick Bosa's arrival to the Bay Area solidified a trench group stocked full of first-round talent.
Whether it was Jimmy Garoppolo turnover or the secondary leaking, San Francisco's defensive line was a consistent factor in the 49ers' pursuit of the NFC West crown.
After getting coined one of the best position groups in the NFL, John Lynch decided to break up the band. At the start of the league new year, DeForest Buckner was surprisingly dealt to the Indianapolis Colts for the 13th overall selection in the 2020 first round.
After weeks of debating whether the 49ers should pick a defensive back or wide receiver, when Lynch was on the clock for the first time, he went back to the position group that drove San Francisco to the top of their division.
Javon Kinlaw's name was called by Roger Goodell with the 14th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers. While it may not be a sexy pick like a CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy, the South Carolina product may be what the 49ers need to make another run at the Super Bowl.
While Kinlaw may not immediately replace Buckner's All-Pro capabilities, his addition recharges one of the league's most feared fronts.
Kinlaw explodes off the football with a lethal first step that follows with the hands of a heavyweight boxer. After stunning offensive linemen with dynamite in his hands, Kinlaw genuinely relies on a mix of bull-rushes and push-pull pass sets.
Kinlaw is a powerful presence in the middle of the defensive line that showed off physical dominance in 29 games in the SEC. The former Gamecock is productive in getting to the quarterback through the interior, recording 10 sacks over the past two seasons.