Javon Kinlaw reminds Dee Ford of Nick Bosa

According to Dee Ford, Nick Bosa and Javon Kinlaw have more in common than simply playing defensive line and being first-round picks by the San Francisco 49ers.

The team has only been back at the facility for a few days but Ford quickly saw similarities between his young position mates.

“He reminds me of Bosa when he came in,” Ford said via video on Thursday. “He didn’t say too much, not not trying to be — when you’re a first round draft pick you can come in and you can smell yourself, you can be a little entitled. That’s not him, that’s not his DNA, He fits in well with the guys.”

Kinlaw has the added challenge not having a rookie mini camp or OTAs to acclimate himself to life in the NFL, but Ford isn’t worried about the rookie. He sees a student of the game.

“[He is] everything that you want to see in a rookie,” Ford said. “He wants to be a sponge. He wants to soak everything up, he wants to learn.”

“He’s behind the 8-ball. Every rookie is because of the virus and he can’t get OTAs. OTAs were crucial for me especially learning a new position my rookie year, so I can only imagine where his mind is right now. He’s handing it very well. He’s going to be really good.”

Ford believes the simplicity of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s system will ease Kinlaw’s transition. He trusts that the coaching staff won’t give the rookie more than he can handle.

“It’s going to be a challenge but honestly this defense is simple,” Ford said. “It’s going to be a challenge as far as trying to apply it to different offenses in different games, but this defense is simple. They are not going to give him too much. They’re not going to put too much on his plate.”

Like Bosa and every player that has been asked about Kinlaw, Ford mentioned how impressed he was with the rookie’s size. Ford believes that his stature alone will give the South Carolina product an advantage on the field.

“They are going to simplify and they are going to bring him along, and he’s going to be able to do what he do best,” Ford said. “He can rush the passer and he’s a big dude so he can plug up some gaps and make plays in the run game.

“They are going to give him chances and opportunities to do what he do best. they are not going to overload him too much mentally, so I don’t worry about him.”