![\"NORMAN,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2168589411-GI.JPG\" "\\"Defensive")
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Defensive lineman Gracen Halton of the Oklahoma Sooners sacks quarterback Forrest Brock of the Temple Owls for a loss of 7 yards in the first quarter at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30, 2024 in Norman, Oklahoma. The San Francisco 49ers on Saturday drafted Halton in the fourth round, No. 107 overall.<\/p>\n
Brian Bahr<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
After a series of trades over the first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers added five players Saturday on the third and final day of the draft.<\/p>\n
The question now is whether the eight players who the 49ers drafted this year will make an impact for a veteran team still poised to compete and that made it to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs last season.<\/p>\n
With the dust of the draft just settling, here\u2019s where things sat as of early Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
Mixed reactions from pundits to the draft<\/p>\n
There wasn\u2019t an early consensus on how the 49ers came out of the draft. And it might take some time for an unheralded rookie or two to emerge from this class and redefine how San Francisco\u2019s haul of picks is viewed.<\/p>\n
At first glance, there could be some cause for concern among 49ers fans.<\/p>\n
Pro Football Focus ranked the 49ers draft class worst out of all 32 teams, giving San Francisco a D<\/a>. The website didn\u2019t provide any rationale for why the team\u2019s grade was so low. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars, who earned a D+, had a comparable grade.<\/p>\n Vic Tafur of the Athletic didn\u2019t grade the 49ers\u2019 draft, though he wrote that the team<\/a> had \u201ca lot of veterans looking to make one more run at a Super Bowl, and they didn\u2019t really add any impact newcomers with their eight picks.\u201d<\/p>\n Some assessments were more positive, with USA Today giving the 49ers a B<\/a> and ranking them 16th of 32 teams for their draft class.<\/p>\n Who the 49ers selected this year<\/p>\n The 49ers made two trades Thursday to trade out of the first round and made two more Friday to add draft capital in the fourth and fifth rounds, pushing their haul of picks from six to eight to start Saturday.<\/p>\n On Friday, they drafted Ole Miss wide receiver De\u2019Zhaun Stribling 33rd overall in the second round and Texas Tech edge rusher Romello Height and Indiana running back Kaelon Black, 70th and 90th, respectively, in the third round.<\/p>\n San Francisco kicked off its Saturday selections by picking Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton with the 107th overall pick.<\/p>\n They followed this by taking Washington offensive tackle Carver Willis with the 127th overall pick just before 10:30 a.m. Shortly after this, the 49ers traded the 133rd pick to the Baltimore Ravens. They then chose Washington cornerback Ephesians Prysock with the 139th pick, Louisiana linebacker Jaden Dugger at No. 154 and Kansas offensive tackle Enrique Cruz Jr. at No. 179.<\/p>\n So to sum up, the full draft class is:<\/p>\n De\u2019Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole MissRomello Height, DE, Texas TechKaelon Black, RB, IndianaGracen Halton, DT, OklahomaCarver Willis, OT, WashingtonEphesians Prysock, CB, WashingtonJaden Dugger, LB, KansasEnrique Cruz Jr., OT, Kansas<\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t include undrafted rookies signed by the team as free agents, who could continue to trickle in over the hours and days following the draft\u2019s end.<\/p>\n San Francisco\u2019s final scheduled pick goes for offensive tackle<\/p>\n One round after drafting offensive tackle Carver Willis, who could wind up playing guard in the pros, San Francisco used its final pick of the fifth round on Enrique Cruz Jr., an offensive tackle out of Kansas.<\/p>\n At 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds, Cruz is about the average size of a tackle. ESPN described him as being \u201cgood when getting to the edge and climbing to the second level, showing a lightness on his feet.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters after being drafted, Cruz elaborated on his style of play and how it would help him in the NFL.<\/p>\n \u201cI do what I have to do,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cI hustle all the time. With everything I do, I\u2019m always trying to finish the play and I\u2019m going to do whatever it takes to finish the play.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether San Francisco adds selections in rounds 6 or 7 through trade remains to be seen. Once the draft ends, though, teams will clamor to sign undrafted free agents, meaning the class of new 49ers heading into the 2026 season will likely grow again.<\/p>\n Ragin\u2019 Cajun to spice up 49ers linebacker corps?<\/p>\n The mid-late rounds of the NFL Draft are when names can come out of seemingly nowhere. To wit, the 49ers drafted Louisiana Ragin\u2019 Cajuns linebacker Jaden Dugger with their first pick of the fifth round and 154th overall selection of the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n Dugger was ranked as the 365th-best overall prospect by ESPN and was tabbed as the 25th-best linebacker in a New York Times special draft section.<\/p>\n He wasn\u2019t a total unknown, though.<\/p>\n Dugger was selected to play in this year\u2019s East-West Shrine Bowl, traditionally a showcase for NFL-bound players. Alex Kozora, writing for a Pittsburgh Steelers fan blog, noted that Dugger\u2019s background at the safety position was evident and that he was \u201cable to close space in a hurry and displays sideline-to-sideline range.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n In a call with reporters, Dugger acknowledged his safety experience and ability to provide pass coverage. \u201cA lot of people my size wouldn\u2019t be comfortable in those situations, but I am,\u201d Dugger said.<\/p>\n 49ers look to same school twice in Round 4<\/p>\n Shortly before the 49ers drafted Ephesians Prysock with the 139th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, they also drafted his college teammate Carver Willis.<\/p>\n In a conference call with reporters after his selection, Willis offered a hint as to why the 49ers could have a pipeline to the Huskies. \u201cA lot of the coaches at Washington have deep relationships with the 49ers and they model a lot of what we did at Washington off of the 49ers,\u201d Willis said.<\/p>\n In Prysock, the 49ers will get a 6-3, 196-pound corner who spent his first two years at Arizona before transferring to Washington. ESPN had Prysock as the 158th-best prospect overall, saying he could \u201cset the edge\u201d when defending the run.<\/p>\n In a call with reporters following his selection, Prysock said that Willis was someone he was fond of. Prysock also indicated that he was familiar with 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, a fifth round pick out of Oregon in 2021, who Prysock said played in high school with his two older brothers.<\/p>\n Prysock noted that he\u2019d had a Zoom call with the 49ers, though this wasn\u2019t the only team he talked to. Asked to describe his play, Prysock described himself as a versatile player with \u201cthe skillset to be one of the greatest corners.\u201d<\/p>\n San Francisco adds fifth rounder, 2027 pick by trading No. 133<\/p>\n The story of the 2026 draft for the 49ers has been trades, with the team making its fifth deal so far this draft on Saturday.<\/p>\n San Francisco flipped the 133rd pick to Baltimore, shortly before the 49ers were to make the selection. In return, San Francisco received the 154th pick this year and a sixth-round selection in the 2027 draft.<\/p>\n There was one player on the board at No. 133 who the 49ers might have ruffled feathers by taking: North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance, who went to the New Orleans Saints three picks later. Lance is the younger brother of Trey Lance, who the 49ers selected third overall in 2021 and who lasted just two years in San Francisco.<\/p>\n 49ers add to offensive line with Carver Willis<\/p>\n That the 49ers will need an offensive tackle at some point in the next few years to replace soon-to-be 38-year-old Trent Williams is no secret.<\/p>\n One potential option in the succession planning: Carver Willis, taken by the 49ers with their second pick of the fourth round on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew I was on their radar but I had no idea they were about to take me,\u201d Willis said in a call with reporters Saturday. He noted that he\u2019d met the 49ers offensive line coach a couple of times.<\/p>\n Willis spent four years at Kansas State and played his final season for Washington. His ESPN draft card rates him at the 206th-best prospect, suggesting the 49ers drafted for positional need rather than taking the best available player.<\/p>\n It is unclear if Willis will stay at tackle in the NFL or switch to guard. While he seemingly has the height at 6-5 and could add to his 303-pound frame to have the heft for tackle, ESPN noted that Willis could be better-suited for the NFL as a guard.<\/p>\n Willis\u2019 coach at Durango High School, Dave Vogt praised his athleticism and versatility.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we would have had more linemen, he could have been a tight end,\u201d Vogt said in a phone interview with The Bee. \u201cWe just needed him to play that tackle position for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Vogt added that in middle school, Willis had been a quarterback.<\/p>\n Mike Sutter, who was Willis\u2019 offensive line coach at Durango, was struck by his footwork. \u201cHis feet were unbelievable,\u201d Sutter told The Bee. \u201cHe was really explosive with his hands and had really good placement.\u201d<\/p>\n Sutter sees guard or center as a superior NFL option for Willis. \u201cHe could probably do okay at tackle, but I think he would definitely fit better interior,\u201d Sutter said.<\/p>\n Who is Gracen Halton? How he could help 49ers defense<\/p>\n ESPN ranks the 22-year-old Halton as the 93rd-best prospect in the draft, suggesting that San Francisco made a quality value selection.<\/p>\n Halton played all four seasons for Oklahoma, finishing his collegiate career with 84 tackles and 8.5 sacks, according to his Sooners Sports bio<\/a>. He was never a consistent starter in Oklahoma, logging 10 starts against 47 appearances total and making his most starts, seven, in his senior season.<\/p>\n Along with third-round draft choice and Texas Tech edge rusher Romello Height, who San Francisco chose 70th overall on Friday, Halton joins a 49ers defense that suffered after losing Nick Bosa to a season-ending injury in 2025. Last year\u2019s first round selection Mykel Williams was also lost to injury and Bryce Huff has retired, meaning both Halton and Height could get early chances to prove their mettle.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t expect the 49ers but it\u2019s a blessing,\u201d Halton told reporters Saturday following his selection.<\/p>\n Halton boasts some combination of size and speed for a defensive tackle, with 4.82-second 40-yard dash while standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 292 pounds. Sports Illustrated also noted that his vertical jump of 36.5 inches was tops among defensive tackles<\/a>.<\/p>\n This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 10:05 AM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n![\"INDIANAPOLIS,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2264245047-GI.JPG\" "\\"2264245047-GI.JPG\\"")
Enrique Cruz Jr. of the Kansas Jayhawks participates in the 40-yard dash during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1 in Indianapolis. The San Francisco 49ers selected Cruz in the fifth round of the draft, with the 179th overall pick. Stacy Revere Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"SEATTLE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2232959011-GI.JPG\" "\\"2232959011-GI.JPG\\"")
Ephesians Prysock of the Washington Huskies reacts during the fourth quarter of a game against the Colorado State Rams at Husky Stadium on Aug. 30 in Seattle. The San Francisco 49ers on Saturday selected Prysock 139th overall during the fourth round of the NFL draft. Alika Jenner Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"INDIANAPOLIS,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2264262134-GI.JPG\" "\\"2264262134-GI.JPG\\"")
Carver Willis of the Washington Huskies participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1 in Indianapolis. The San Francisco 49ers selected Willis with the 127th overall pick during the fourth round of the NFL draft. Stacy Revere Getty Images <\/p>\n
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