The 49ers desperately need to improve their run defense.
They gave up 24 rushing touchdowns last season — third-most in the NFL. They also gave up 2,118 yards on the ground, which was subpar.
So it should come as no surprise that the 49ers will host Ohio State defensive tackle Tyliek Williams on a pre-draft top-30 visit. That means Williams will be one of 30 draft-eligible players who will have a formal meeting with the 49ers at their facility this offseason.
Williams is one of the best run defenders in the draft. At 6’3″. 334 lbs., he’s huge, but he’s also an explosive athlete. He’s so explosive, he actually fell down while running his 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. Fortunately, he didn’t seriously injure himself.
On tape, Williams looks like he can run a 40-yard dash in fewer than five seconds. He can seriously move for a big man. And most importantly, he can shut down the run between the tackles. The 49ers haven’t had a defensive tackle who can do that since they released Arik Armstead.
The 49ers almost certainly will draft one defensive tackle, perhaps two considering this offseason they released both starters — Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins.
They could draft a defensive tackle as early as Round 1, but this year’s class of D-tackles is incredibly deep, so they could be wise to wait until Round 2 and take Williams. He instantly would improve their run defense, and anything he would give the defense as a pass rusher would be a bonus.
