The 49ers' first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft surely made a good first impression on his new fan base. It helps when a family member is one of their own.
San Francisco selected defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw with the No. 14 overall pick Thursday, and his father had an unforgettable reaction. Kinlaw's dad, a 49ers fan, fell to the floor when his favorite team picked his son.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
You know Kinlaw's father is Faithful, but what about the rest of the 22-year-old's story? Here are five facts you need to know about one of the newest 49ers.
A difficult journey
Kinlaw immigrated to the United States from Trinidad and Tobago along with his brothers. He was homeless during much of his childhood, sometimes staying in basements and often living without necessities like electricity or running water.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
As a teenager, Kinlaw moved to South Carolina to live with his father. He was a 6-foot-5, 260-pound sophomore when he started playing football at Goose Creek, and began his college career a semester early at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi after passing the GED. Kinlaw improved his grades and his game, transferring to South Carolina.
He developed into one of the 2020 NFL Draft's top prospects during his time in Columbia, ending his final year with the Gamecocks with multiple All-America awards and an undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies.
The digits
Kinlaw wore No. 3 during his last two seasons with South Carolina, but the defensive tackle's first number with the Gamecocks possibly offers a preview of what he'll wear in the NFL. He wore No. 99 as a sophomore, which just so happens to be the jersey number of the man he's replacing: DeForest Buckner, who the 49ers traded to the Indianapolis Colts last month.
Buckner's shoes would be hard to fill for a veteran, let alone a rookie. But Kinlaw embraced the comparisons to his predecessor in a conference call with reporters, and he posted a mock-up on Instagram of him wearing his one-time number.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_YAisRpu4c/
The 49ers haven't yet announced Kinlaw's jersey number, but Kinlaw appears to have a preferred option.
[49ERS INSIDER PODCAST: Listen to the latest episode]
Great expectations
Buckner will be a tough act to follow, but Kinlaw's collegiate company is, too. Kinlaw, at No. 14 overall, is the highest-drafted Gamecock since the Houston Texans picked edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney with the top pick in 2014.
That came on the heels of a dominant senior season. Kinlaw earned the aforementioned All-America honors in a season he recorded 6.0 sacks, 35 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
Although he plays a different position than Clowney, Kinlaw is an intimidating pass-rushing presence. Pro Football Focus gave Kinlaw a 90.7 pass-rushing grade for 2019 and an 88.7 in his injury-riddled 2018 season. That bodes well for Kinlaw following in Clowney's footsteps.
Feathers in the cap
Kinlaw's senior season was his best, and two of his better performances came against players he could soon line up against on Sundays. The defensive tackle sacked then-Alabama quarterback Tua Tagavailoa and Georgia QB Jake Fromm in 2019.
The Miami Dolphins drafted Tagavailoa with the No. 5 overall pick on Friday, while Fromm is expected to be picked at some point on Day 2 or Day 3. The 49ers are scheduled to play the Dolphins at Levi's Stadium in 2020, and Kinlaw's experience could come in handy.
Kinlaw will need it against the rest of the NFC West, too. The 49ers play Russell Wilson's Seattle Seahawks, Kyler Murray's Arizona Cardinals and Jared Goff's Los Angeles Rams twice a season in a division that arguably features the best collection of quarterbacks in the league.
[RELATED: 49ers' D-line coach was obsessed with Kinlaw during draft prep]
Proud dad
Kinlaw became a father last year. Providing for his daughter, Eden Amara, motivated him during his senior season and the pre-draft process.
“My child, I’m telling you, she changed a lot about me, mentality-wise," Kinlaw told The Post and Courier last August. "My girl knows I’m working for something bigger than the both of us right now, so I’m just trying to be able to provide for my family, and they understand that.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-xdsKKJoVk/
His pinned tweet reads: "Can't let my daughter down".