Former Oklahoma DT Gracen Halton Taken on Day Three of 2026 NFL Draft

Gracen Halton was one of the Sooners' most disruptive players during the 2025 season, and now he'll get the chance to play in the NFL.

Oklahoma defensive lineman Gracen Halton | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Gracen Halton finished his college career with great momentum, and now he’ll have a chance to build on it.

The San Francisco 49ers selected Halton, a four-year Oklahoma defensive lineman, with the No. 107 pick (fourth round) in the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday.

Halton is the third player from OU’s 2025 squad to be selected in this year’s draft. His selection came one pick after the Houston Texans used the No. 106 pick on former OU offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu. Defensive end R Mason Thomas became the first Sooner off the board on Friday, as the Kansas City Chiefs selected him 40th overall (second round).

A native of San Diego, Halton enrolled at the university in 2022, and his role steadily increased during his four years in Norman.

Halton played in 10 games as a true freshman in 2022 before logging 3.5 tackles for loss in 11 appearances the next year. His biggest jump came in 2024, when Halton registered 30 tackles, six tackles for loss, five sacks, three quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

As a senior, Halton played his football, ending his last season in Norman with 33 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, seven quarterback hurries, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a defensive touchdown.

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After the 2025 season ended, Halton got the chance to compete in the Senior Bowl in January. He recovered a fumble in that game.

Halton then caught the attention of professional executives at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. He logged a 36.5” vertical jump, which ranked first among all defensive tackles, and also ran a 4.82-second 40-yard dash.

Halton will join a San Francisco franchise that has reached the playoffs in three of the last four seasons and made it to the Super Bowl in 2023. Most recently, the 49ers finished 12-5 during the 2025 season and lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round.

With Halton’s selection, the Sooners have already surpassed their total of players picked in 2025. 

In last year’s draft, linebacker Danny Stutsman and defensive back Billy Bowman were the only two players from OU’s 2024 squad who heard their names called.

The NFL Draft, held in Pittsburgh this year, began with Round 1 on Friday before Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday. It will conclude on Saturday, when NFL teams make their fourth through seventh-round selections.