Little-known San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Gracen Halton was taken in the fourth round of this year's draft and was immediately slated to be a second-stringer.
Though viewed as merely a late-round flyer, he represents something more to those who were picking up on a pattern with the Niners draft process, and he now finds himself in a position to cover for what might turn out to be an abysmal San Francisco rookie class.
The 49ers took Halton as the 12th defensive tackle off the board, though he was ranked eighth at his position by ESPN.
The pick represents something that was in direct contrast to the rest of the Niners' selections: value.
Throughout the draft, general manager John Lynch and Co. continuously reached for players well before the appropriate round. The trend led to San Francisco acquiring the least amount of value in the entire league.
The one player who didn't fit that embarrassing mold, however, was Halton.
49ers' Gracen Halton brings impressive pedigree to the NFL
Last year, Halton was part of a University of Oklahoma defense that was elite by every metric. Thanks in large part to the defensive tackle, the Sooners were especially known for their vicious front seven, which terrorized opposing quarterbacks and made teams work for every yard on the ground.
Halton is undersized for his position, but he has a high motor and an athletic quickness that make him an energetic presence on the defensive line.
Even though he is currently slated as a backup, San Francisco is hardly elite at tackle, and there is every reason to believe the OU alumnus can work his way into a starting role.
It's apparent the Niners will need production out of their fourth-round selection. Last season, they proved inept at putting pressure on the quarterback. Their 27 sacks were good for the 28th-best in the league.
A healthy Nick Bosa should improve that number, but he won't be able to do it alone. The San Francisco front isn't exactly the elite powerhouse it's been known to be in the past. New faces will be expected to make their presence known, and it will likely start with Halton.
While the Niners elected to waste most of their early picks on players they could've waited on, Halton was indeed a value find. If the overlooked tackle can perform like his pre-draft rankings imply, then he might serve to encourage the 49ers to look at more traditional scouting methods in the future.
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