New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: IDL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma

Gracen Halton, IDL

Height: 6’ 3”
Weight: 293 lbs.
Class: Fourth-year Senior
School: Oklahoma
Hands: 10"
Arm Length: 31 1/8"
40-yard-dash: 4.82 seconds
10-yard-split: 1.7 seconds
Vertical: 36 1/2"
Broad Jump: 114"
Short-shuttle: 4.79 seconds
STATS

Gracen Halton was a four-star recruit out of San Diego, California, attending St. Augustine High School before committing to the Oklahoma Sooners.

Halton committed to Oklahoma over powerhouse programs like Texas, Oregon, Penn State, and Michigan, and was a highly sought-after defensive lineman being recruited by schools known for producing them.

In 2025, Halton finished second on the Sooners with 30 pressures while lining up primarily in the B gap as a 2- or 3-technique.

Throughout his career, Halton spent 64.6% of his snaps lined up in the B-gap, which is also where he projects to line up at the next level.

Sep 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) reacts against the Temple Owls in the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Strengths

Has experience playing from a 2i all the way out to the edge in his career
Explosive first step that allows him to get into the gap before offensive linemen can properly react
Slippery between blockers, able to get skinny and disrupt plays
High energy at all times, never accepts defeat as a rusher.
Quickness isn’t just at the snap. When he gets into the backfield, he closes in on his target quickly.
Excels in being used as the looper on stunts around the penetrator
Does a good job of keeping his eyes in the backfield while engaged with a blocker, so he can attack either side
Has a smooth swim move that looks refined enough to work against NFL interior offensive linemen
Low initial leverage after the snap makes him difficult for interior linemen to get their hands on immediately.
Have seen him break out multiple moves that need development, but the base is there for a rip and spin when the opportunity presents itself.

Weaknesses

Over-reliant on athleticism as a rusher, so when he faces athletic interior linemen, he struggles
Pad level is too high too often, needs to do a better job of utilizing his ability to get lower than the offensive linemen
Won’t be capable of taking on double teams consistently
Doesn’t seem to have much of a pass-rush plan while engaged with blockers. Just fights but doesn’t break out moves often
4th-percentile arm length is an issue for him once he’s engaged with blockers
If stronger offensive linemen get their hands on him, he’ll struggle to break free from their grip
Arm length disadvantage makes it even more noticeable that he doesn’t fully extend enough
Loses leverage by playing a little too high-hipped at times, limiting his ability to drive some

Summary

Gracen Halton may have a limited ceiling in the role that he can play at the next level, but he’s also someone who should be able to step in and contribute from day one.

Positional versatility is a bonus for Halton, who has experience lining up all over the defensive line and could contribute in the NFL as a 3-technique or strongside defensive end.

The limitations in Halton’s game mostly come from his lack of length and power to be a top-flight interior defensive lineman.

Halton will still be able to be productive as a pass-rusher, especially on stunts in Denard Wilson’s defensive system.

GRADE: 6.2

Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart | Nick Falato

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