The post 49ers' $10.3 million move expected to have ripple effect across NFL appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The San Francisco 49ers have officially signed their final 2025 draft pick, second-round defensive tackle Alfred Collins , to a four-year, $10.3 million deal that includes over $9 million in guaranteed money, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Schefter reported that the contract's high guarantee percentage is expected to prompt other teams to finalize deals with their second-round selections.
Collins, the No. 43 overall pick out of Texas, became the third second-round pick of the 2025 NFL Draft to reach an agreement, breaking a league-wide standstill and potentially setting off a wave of second-round signings across the NFL.
Before Collins' signing, 30 of the 32 second-round picks remained unsigned. His deal includes 88% guaranteed money, which is a significant increase compared to last year's No. 43 pick.
This move comes after Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins , selected outside the first round, signed a fully guaranteed four-year, $11.7 million contract , an NFL first for a non-first-rounder. That unprecedented deal disrupted the usual contract structure for second-rounders and delayed signings league-wide.
Collins' deal, while not fully guaranteed like Higgins' or Cleveland linebacker Carson Schwesinger 's, still represents a major shift in second-round contract norms. According to reports, the 49ers' decision to give 88% of the contract as guaranteed money pushed the second-round market forward and ended what had become a negotiation standoff.
Collins' signing was critical for the 49ers, who selected him as part of a broader defensive line overhaul that included first-rounder Mykel Williams . At Texas, Collins tallied 55 tackles, six tackles for loss, a sack, and seven pass deflections in the 2024 season, proving to be a disruptive force on the interior.
His career college stats include 7.5 sacks over five seasons. The 23-year-old skipped the initial rookie report to training camp in Santa Clara due to contract negotiations but is now set to join the rest of the 49ers' rookies on the field.
With training camps opening and veterans set to report soon, Collins' agreement is expected to cause a ripple effect among remaining unsigned second-rounders.
Notable holdouts include Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (No. 35), Chargers wide receiver Tre Harris (No. 55), and Elijah Arroyo (No. 50), who may soon follow suit now that Collins' deal has set a middle-ground precedent between fully guaranteed and traditionally structured rookie contracts.
Related: 49ers place rookie on active non-football injury list
Related: George Kittle makes Brock Purdy promise after $265 million 49ers contract
