The NFL Draft is almost two weeks away and we’re starting to learn which Round 1 prospects are on the 49ers’ radar.
According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, the 49ers are scheduled to meet with Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen before the draft. Nolen is considered one of the top defensive tackle prospects this year after recording 6.5 sacks at Ole Miss in 2024 and performing well at the Senior Bowl in January.
The last time the 49ers drafted a defensive tackle in Round 1, they took Javon Kinlaw with the 14th pick after a strong Senior Bowl performance. So they clearly value that event. Unfortunately for the 49ers, Kinlaw was injured most of the time he was on the team.
Nolen is much smaller than Kinlaw. Kinlaw was 6’5″, 324 lbs. when he was drafted, while Nolen is 6’4″, 296 lbs. Which means he might not have the mass to defend the run well in the 49ers’ Wide 9 defensive front. That being said, Javon Hargrave was a smaller defensive tackle who struggled against the run and the 49ers gave him a ton of money for two years. So maybe they see Nolen as a fit, too.
Still, Nolen isn’t considered a top-15 prospect in the upcoming draft. If the 49ers were to take him, they probably would trade down first. So maybe the 49ers are considering moving back and picking up more draft picks.
Whatever they do, the 49ers should be extremely careful about making major investments into players who don’t fit their scheme.