The San Francisco 49ers certainly had a controversial NFL Draft class last April.
But one of their picks certainly wasn't controversial: Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton, taken in Round 4 with the No. 107 overall pick.
While the Niners were accused of several reaches, Halton appears to be the lone "gem" of a pick, earning a spot on an ESPN list that suggested he'd easily outplay his draft status.
Should that happen, two other defensive tackles whom San Francisco drafted only a year before might want to pay attention: Alfred Collins and C.J. West.
Because it appears as if Halton is poised to hop over them on the depth chart.
Gracen Halton may push Alfred Collins, C.J. West down the 49ers DT depth chart
Of the two defensive tackles the 49ers drafted in 2025, Collins has the higher pedigree and the associated hopes, given he was a second-round pick, whereas West was another fourth-rounder. Yet Collins also had higher expectations but largely failed to live up to those his rookie season aside from a handful of splash plays, including that memorable forced fumble against the Los Angeles Rams in prime time.
Still, Halton might be in a position to surpass both West and Collins on the depth chart; it's a point argued by FanSided's NFL Draft expert, Mike Luciano, when he broke down the Niners' 2026 draft class:
Luciano put Halton into Collins' category right away, while pretty much ensuring West would be pushed down even more after already failing to make much of an impact in 2025.
All three recent draftees are effectively competing for playing time alongside one of San Francisco's marquee offseason pickups, former Dallas Cowboys interior defender Osa Odighizuwa, who figures to be an every-down player anyway, leaving essentially one starting job available.
Collins would've had it, had the 49ers not grabbed Halton. But they did, and now Collins is in jeopardy of losing a first-team gig to the rookie.
West, meanwhile, could easily find himself pushed to the periphery, particularly if Halton comes on strong between now and Week 1.
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