NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his second 2026 NFL mock draft for NFL.com, projecting the San Francisco 49ers to continue investing in their defensive line.
In 2025, the 49ers used three draft picks to fortify the unit, selecting Mykel Williams in the first round and adding Alfred Collins and CJ West on Day 2 and Day 3. Now, Jeremiah has San Francisco doubling down in the trenches.
With the No. 27 overall pick, Jeremiah projects the 49ers to select former Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter.
"Hunter can hold the point against the run, and he showed flashes of his upside as a pass rusher at the Senior Bowl," Jeremiah wrote. "Recent Super Bowl winners have featured waves of defensive linemen they can rotate. Hunter joins 2025 draft picks Alfred Collins and CJ West to form a talented young trio on the interior."
Hunter spent three seasons at UCF before transferring to Texas Tech for his final year. Over his collegiate career, he recorded 172 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one pass defensed, and a forced fumble.
At 6-foot-4 and 321 pounds, Hunter has the prototypical size to anchor the middle of an NFL defensive front. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted career-best marks in 2025, including an 80.9 overall defensive grade, an 84.5 run-defense grade, and a 72.1 pass-rush grade.
NFL Media analyst Lance Zierlein offered a detailed evaluation in his draft profile:
"Hunter is a two-gapping nose tackle for odd or even fronts," Zierlein wrote. "He has the size, strength, and length to do battle in the heart of the trenches, but requires better block take-on technique to sit firmer in his grass. He won't win in the gaps, but he can stack and shed single blocks or slide and stabilize his run fit against zone blocks.
"Hunter's girth and length are advantages when aligning over the center as a run defender. He doesn't have enough quickness or skill as a rusher to see many passing downs, but he can dent the pocket with his power. Hunter projects as an early down space-eater who can make interior offensive linemen work for their gaps."
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