As the NFL Draft sneaks up on us, we’ll find out more and more about the San Francisco 49ers’ top 30 visits. We had one already on Monday, with a defensive tackle from the SEC who is projected to be drafted anywhere from the middle of the third round to the fourth.
The Athletic’s Matt Barrows confirmed NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport’s tweet that the Niners will host a pair of defensive tackles from the SEC. This duo is projected to go as early as the first round but not fall out of the top 50.
These are names we’re familiar with. One is Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen. Nolen’s ceiling rivals any player in the class. But there are stretches where he disappears, plays too high, and gets out of position. Suppose Kris Kocurek can harness Nolen’s discipline and turn him into an aggressive, penetrating butt-kicker that relies on strength and causes chaos in the backfield. In that case, we’re looking at the most complete defensive tackle on the roster since DeForest Buckner.
The other prospect is Mykel Williams. At Georgia, Williams was used on the edge on early downs, but would either come off the field on obvious passing downs or kick inside at defensive tackle.
Williams is only 260 pounds, which puts him in the 40th percentile for edge rushers, but he is in the upper echelon in height, wingspan, arm length, and hand size. And you’d assume he was 280, considering how stout Williams is as a run defender. From a pound-for-pound perspective, he’s arguably one of the strongest defensive linemen in the class. Not only is he strong at the point of attack, but he’s the opposite of Nolen when it comes to discipline and understanding your role.
Williams is a three-year junior who has played at Georgia in each season. Experience isn’t an issue. Because of his size, Williams covers ground quickly and fires off the ball, but when it comes to winning as a pass rusher with moves or hand usage, Williams leaves plenty to be desired. That’s not to say he can’t learn, but he shouldn’t be expected to produce early on in the passing game, which is why he might be available at pick No. 43.
A defensive line with Nolen and Williams would be an immense upgrade from what the 49ers fielded last year.
