Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated previously highlighted fifth-round linebacker Jaden Dugger as a possible draft steal. Now, he has identified fourth-round defensive tackle Gracen Halton as the 49ers' under-the-radar selection.
"The San Francisco 49ers made picks that strayed from the consensus, but one choice that shouldn't draw sighs from fans is defensive tackle Gracen Halton," Melo wrote. "One of three fourth-round selections, Halton is undersized but incredibly disruptive due to athleticism and first-step quickness."
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Over four seasons at Oklahoma, Halton appeared in 47 games and totaled 84 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two passes defensed, and two fumble recovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, according to Sports Reference. Notably, all of his sacks came over the final two seasons, and he earned second-team All-SEC honors as a senior while helping the Sooners reach the College Football Playoff.
"Plays the style that we like to play," general manager John Lynch said. "Plays in the opposing offenses' backfield, attacking style, team captain, really impactful player. And you talk to the people at Oklahoma, they rave about him. We're really surprised he lasted that long (until the No. 107 overall pick) and really thrilled to pounce on him when he got there."
Halton (6-3, 293) earned an 84.7 overall defensive grade, an 86.9 run-defense grade, and a 76.9 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus—all career highs. He also generated 59 total pressures over his final two seasons.
"New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will take advantage of his explosion," Melo added.
Halton now joins a revamped defensive front featuring Nick Bosa and offseason trade acquisition Osa Odighizuwa, along with rookie edge rusher Romello Height. The group is expected to play a key role in improving a defense that was inconsistent throughout the 2025 season.
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