​It only took former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh one year back in the Bay Area to secure the second head-coaching gig of his career.He infamously bagged the New York Jets’ job after serving as the leader of San Francisco’s defense from 2017-20, and eventually landed the Tennessee Titans’ lead role after guiding the Niners’ D a season ago.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut his new job commanding Tennessee’s locker room hasn’t prevented him from showering current San Francisco players with mountains of praise.In an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, Saleh pointed out two specific standouts from the Niners’ 2025 rookie class who he believes have extremely bright futures in the NFL.Texas product Alfred Collins only started one game as a rookie, but the flashes were impossible to ignore.The second-round pick finished with 17 tackles, two forced fumbles and a sack, with his defining moment coming in Week 6 when he stripped Kyren Williams at the goal line and recovered the fumble himself against the Rams. It’s the type of play — and type of trajectory — that has Saleh convinced Collins is destined for stardom.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”He’s still probably the biggest surprise to me in terms of just how much better he got from training camp and as the season went on,” Saleh said. “I really think he’s going to be special. You know, his mindset to get better, his work ethic. He’s only going to get better, and when it triggers for him, he’s going to be a bear to stop.”Saleh didn’t stop at complimenting the second-year defensive lineman, though.He made sure to show some love to the secondary as well — highlighting Western Kentucky product Upton Stout.”Upton is going to be an elite corner in this league,” Saleh said. “Hair trigger, violent. I mean, he made tackles last year on tight ends that guys his size aren’t supposed to make, you know? And it’s like he didn’t even flinch. And just a relentless mindset.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNow, it’s important to remember that under no circumstance would Saleh publicly criticize young players when asked for his opinion of them, so he’s kind of forced to say nice things.But knowing Saleh’s character, he’s being 100 percent authentic in his applause.Now under new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, both Collins and Upton will have every opportunity needed to evolve into the impact defenders Saleh believes they’ll become.