Indiana
Why San Francisco 49ers picked Indiana defensive tackle CJ West in 2025 NFL Draft
Curt Cignetti wants players approaching spring practice with ‘great sense of urgency’
Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti talks about how he defines progress for his position groups and players during spring practice:
The San Francisco 49ers selected former Indiana football defensive tackle C.J. West with the No. 113 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon.
He’s the first Hoosiers defensive lineman drafted since Denver picked Jammie Kirlew in 2010 and first defensive tackle selected since the Raiders drafted Nolan Harrison in 1991. He’s the highest selection for the program since 2018 when Ian Thomas was drafted by Carolina with the first pick in the fourth round (No. 101 overall).
CJ West played a central role in IU’s historic success
West made the jump to the Power Four last season as a highly coveted spring portal entry out of Kent State. Indiana beat out the likes of Wisconsin, Michigan, LSU and Florida State to land the veteran defender who started 35 games for the Golden Flashes.
He was a key presence on IU’s defensive front with 40 tackles (14 solo) with 7.5 for a loss and two sacks in 13 games (420 snaps). Per Pro Football Focus, West had 25 quarterback pressures and 22 defensive stops (tackles that constitute a failure for the offense).
CJ West was a standout at the 2025 NFL combine
The defender bolstered his draft hopes with a standout performance at the combine. The 6-foot-1, 316-pounder was named to the league’s All-Combine team after putting up a 4.95 40-yard dash and 33-inch vertical jump.
He earned a 9.15 RAS score — a metric that combined an athlete’s physical measurements and athletic testing numbers — that ranked among the top 200 players tested from 1987 to 2025.
Why CJ West was a fit for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco is reloading on the defensive line under new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
The overhaul started when the 49ers released both of their Week 1 starters at defensive tackle (Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins) during the offseason. Hargrave was a prized free agent acquisition, but struggled to stay on the field and the defense struggled against the run.
They used three of their first five picks to draft defensive linemen — they drafted Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams with the No. 11 overall pick and Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins in the second round (No. 43 overall).
West will get an immediate chance to join the team’s rotation up front.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.