SANTA CLARA — Javon Kinlaw is “just so happy right now.”
That, folks, is enough to spark overdue optimism about his and the 49ers’ potential.
Drafted two years ago with the 49ers’ top pick, Kinlaw again looks the part of a fierce defensive tackle. He is five months into his comeback from knee reconstruction, with five months to go until the NFL season opens.
He won’t be a stationary, 320-pound behemoth. Nor will he be 320 pounds.
Kinlaw’s 6-foot-5 body is leaner, by 20 pounds. His core is stronger. His desire and drive emote genuine excitement.
“I’m more about getting to the quarterback this year, not mauling guys,” Kinlaw told me Wednesday on the Levi’s Stadium field, as we watched nearly 50 prospects audition at the 49ers’ local pro day.
Even with a black sweatshirt on (and new socks stuffed in its front pocket), Kinlaw looked fit. He modestly downplayed his appearance, which was coordinated with black shorts and red Crocs.
But there wasn’t even a support sleeve on the knee repaired in late October by Dr. Neil ElAttrache, the same orthopedist who performed successful surgeries on Jimmy Garoppolo in 2018 and Nick Bosa in 2020 after their anterior cruciate ligament tears.
ElAttrache, in a joint statement Nov. 5 with 49ers team doctor Tim McAdams, explained that Kinlaw’s ACL had “chronic changes that would be best treated with ACL reconstruction.” A full recovery was prescribed for this year. It’s coming true.
“I finally have two legs. I’m blessed. I can’t complain one bit,” Kinlaw said.
Bosa, who rebounded splendidly last season from his ACL surgery, outlined to Kinlaw what to expect on the road to recovery.
Kinlaw, 24, didn’t require a pep talk from Bosa or anyone else. “I’m a tough (expletive),” said Kinlaw, who endured homelessness as part of a challenging childhood spent in Washington D.C. and South Carolina.
The teammate who has really helped Kinlaw thrive in his rehabilitation is Mike McGlinchey, the 49ers’ right tackle who sustained a quadriceps tear last season.
“He pushed me to a new level,” Kinlaw said.
McGlinchey, in an Instagram post Wednesday about his own comeback, thanked the 49ers’ training and conditioning staffs. McGlinchey added a “special shout-out to (Kinlaw) for being an incredible training partner over the last few months. The best is yet to come!!”
That’s not news to coach Kyle Shanahan. He’s watched those conditioning sessions through the window of his field-level office, as he told reporters recently at the NFL owners’ meetings.
Kinlaw said other regulars at the 49ers’ facility this offseason include guard Aaron Banks, linebackers Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Fred Warner, defensive tackle Maurice Hurst and fullback Josh Hokit.
On Wednesday, amid the local prospects’ auditions at Levi’s Stadium, Kinlaw was summoned away from the sideline, along with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. They headed toward midfield and exchanged hugs with Shanahan and Lynch, who were both smiling from ear to ear at the sight of their 2020 first-round draft picks.
Two years ago, there were no pre-draft workouts and instead just Zoom interviews, due to the COVID outbreak. Kinlaw did not know the 49ers were interested in him, even if it became predictable once they dealt DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick, which they parlayed into Kinlaw’s selection at No. 14 overall.
Now, Kinlaw says there is no place he’d rather be. He owns a home in south San Jose. He has two darling daughters. And he has two healthy legs ready to chase quarterbacks.
The only full sack of his career came in the 49ers’ 2020 visit to the New Orleans Saints, and it resulted in cracked ribs for Drew Brees. Kinlaw shared a sack on Brees’ replacement, Jameis Winston.
That’s it for Kinlaw’s career sack totals. His other highlight came via a pick-six in a 2020 win over the Los Angeles Rams. He missed the final two games his rookie season after aggravating his knee in a loss at Dallas. After sitting out last season’s opener, he rallied to play four games, then went on injured reserve.
Now it’s his time to not jusr rally, but dominate the trenches (and quarterbacks). He is willing to do whatever the coaches ask. There may be no Buckner, and D.J. Jones left in free agency for Denver. But there will be orders, perhaps with more emphasis, to get after the quarterback on a defensive line still anchored by Bosa and Arik Armstead, and still fired up by assistant Kris Kocurek.
Kinlaw is up for a bigger role. He said his knee feels the healthiest it’s been since his sophomore year at South Carolina, in 2017. Then came four sacks in 2018, six sacks in 2019 and a first-round invitation to the 49ers in 2020.
He is “way stronger” now, and, as a byproduct, so should be the 49ers.
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