The 49ers received this pick from the Cleveland Browns as part of their trade down from the No. 58 overall pick, which fell in the second round.
Halton appeared in 47 games over four seasons at Oklahoma, recording 84 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss, and 8.5 sacks. During his 2025 senior season, he served as a team captain and earned second-team All-SEC honors after totaling 33 tackles and 3.5 sacks while helping the Sooners reach the College Football Playoff. He participated in the 2026 Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, where he recorded a 4.82-second 40-yard dash and a 36.5-inch vertical jump.
Measurements
The following are the official measurements from the NFL Scouting Combine.
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 293 lbs
- Arms: 31 1/8 inches
- Hands: 10 inches
NFL Scouting Combine
The following are the official testing results from the NFL Scouting Combine.
- 40-yard dash: 4.82 seconds
- 10-yard split: 1.7 seconds
- Vertical jump: 36.5 inches
- Broad jump: 9 feet, 6 inches
- 3-cone drill: 8.09 seconds
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.79 seconds
Hometown
San Diego, CA
College Statistics
| Season | Team | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Comb | TFL | Sk |
| 2022 | Oklahoma | FR | DL | 10 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | Oklahoma | SO | DL | 11 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 3.5 | 0 |
| 2024 | Oklahoma | JR | DL | 13 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 6 | 5 |
| 2025 | Oklahoma | SR | DL | 13 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 7 | 3.5 |
| Total | 47 | 34 | 50 | 84 | 17.5 | 8.5 |
- 2022: Enrolled June 2022
- 2025: 4-yard FR TD
Scouting Report
Lance Zierlein's NFL.com scouting report:
An undersized 3-technique with disruptive attributes, Halton is best suited for a rotational role in a movement-based front. He plays with synced hands and feet and good lateral agility. His initial quickness makes him quite slippery but a centered block can clear him from the run lane due to his lack of mass/anchor. He's an energetic, gap-to-gap rusher who can threaten guards on their edges or play his role as an effective twister. Finding the right scheme fit will be critical for Halton in the NFL.
NFL.com Draft Bio:
- 2022: Played in 10 games as a reserve (10 tackles, TFL).
- 2023: Played in 11 games as a reserve (11 tackles, 3.5 TFLs).
- 2024: Played in all 13 games with 3 starts (30 tackles, 6 TFLs with 5 sacks, 2 FFs).
- 2025: Played in all 13 games with 7 starts (33 tackles, 7 TFLs with 3.5 sacks, 2 PBUs, FF).
Pre-Draft Grade:
Halton earned a pre-draft grade of 6.1 from NFL.com, which equates to a "good backup with potential to develop into a starter," per the site's 8-point grading scale.
Projection:
NFL.com projected Halton to be a third- or fourth-round draft pick.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) Grades:
Gracen Halton is an interior defensive lineman for the Oklahoma Sooners who earned an 84.7 overall PFF defensive grade in the 2025 season, 16th among 887 qualified interior defensive linemen. His PFF pass-rush grade of 76.9 ranked 42nd among 887 qualified interior defensive linemen. His run-defense grade of 86.9 ranked 14th at the position.
More Draft Analysis
PFF's Analysis:
Halton is an undersized, versatile defensive lineman who wins with quickness, effort and movement skills. His lack of strength can be an issue, but he fits well in multiple or movement-based fronts.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic's Analysis:
Halton is a win-early and clean-up-late player. He has outstanding get-off quickness for early disruption when he times the snap. (Alabama center Parker Brailsford called him the toughest player he faced in 2025, because of his initial quickness.) When he doesn't do that, he switches to an edge-to-edge attacking mindset that leads to clean-up stops or sacks. He plays strong at the point in the run game, although he is inconsistent in shedding blocks.
Eric Edholm of NFL.com's Analysis:
His size worried me and kept him off my first top 100, but the feedback I've received on Halton has been pretty positive. I expect a team to take a chance on this interior penetrator with a hot motor on Day 2.
Todd McShay of The Ringer's Analysis:
Halton profiles as an explosive, high-motor interior penetrator who can consistently create backfield disruption, even if he may fall short of elite finishing production due to movement limitations. Kobie Turner (Rams) is the comp. Turner had nearly identical predraft measurements (6027, 288 pounds, 31 5/8–inch arms, 9 1/2–inch hands), and he ran similar times in the 40 (4.82 seconds) and 10-yard split (1.70 seconds). Halton had more explosion in the vertical jump (5 inches higher) and broad jump (3 inches longer), but Turner had the better short shuttle (4.53 seconds compared to Halton's 4.79). Like Turner, Halton is a disruptive one-gap player who fits best as a 1-technique and/or 3-technique in the NFL. Also like Turner, Halton should enter the league as a day-two pick and is unlikely to start right away.
Mike Renner of CBS Sports' Analysis:
Halton is a leverage demon with a great first step to get into backfields. Penetrating schemes will love his skill set at 3-technique.
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