Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen could be taken earlier in the first round than expected, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Some teams even have Nolen ranked higher than Michigan’s Mason Graham, the consensus DT1 in the class and an expected top-10 pick.
Nolen’s explosiveness and physicality give him the potential to be an impactful interior disruptor in the NFL, but he needs to improve the mental aspects of his game to reach that upside. Nolen has character concerns – specifically a perceived sense of entitlement and lack of maturity – but an organization like the 49ers with a strong culture and leaders in their defensive line room could bet on their ability to develop him as a player and a person.
Nolen’s late rise could even see him break into the first 10 picks with multiple links to the Panthers at No. 8, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. Carolina, however, has also been repeatedly connected to Georgia linebacker/edge rusher Jalon Walker, which would make Nolen a minor surprise.
Miller also listed the 49ers and the Cowboys as potential landing spots just outside of the top 10, though both teams may have other positional prioritize. Dallas seems poised to add a wide receiver or offensive lineman, and San Francisco is expected to take an edge rusher at 11, per The Athletic’s Diana Russini.
Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. could be target for the Cowboys at 12, according to Miller, but the 49ers are expected to add at least one guard in the draft, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Banks played tackle in college, but 33.5-inch arms are on the short side for the position in the NFL. His elite movement skills could make him an excellent guard in San Francisco’s wide zone scheme right away as he trains to replace Trent Williams at left tackle in the long-term. The 11th pick was specifically mentioned as a floor for Banks by Breer, indicating that he’s in play for the 49ers’ first-rounder.
