Through the first seven weeks of the 2024 NFL season, the defensive line has emerged as an area that the San Francisco 49ers will clearly need to address next offseason.

Injuries to Javon Hargrave and Yetur Gross-Matos have left the Niners short of depth on the interior and the edge, and there is clearly a need for them to get younger at the defensive tackle position. Hargrave will be 32 and fellow starter Maliek Collins 30 by the time the 2025 season starts.

And the latest A to Z Sports' 2025 mock draft has the 49ers using their first-round pick on the defensive tackle position.

In the mock, the 49ers use the 29th overall selection on Ole Miss' Walter Nolen, a Texas A&M transfer and former No. 1 overall recruit.

Explaining the selection, Travis May writes:

"Walter Nolen might be 300+ pounds, but he can line up and win from any pre-snap alignment in pass rush situations. 

"Then on top of that, he's one of the best tackling interior defensive lineman in the last few draft classes."

Nolen already has six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks this season and, with his size and tackling ability, would address a huge issue for the 49er defense, which has had significant problems stopping interior runs that see its defensive tackles blown off the ball by double teams.

Possessing versatility and a skill set that would clearly improve the 49ers on the defensive side of the trenches, Nolen would be a very shrewd pick by San Francisco. Still only 21, he has the potential to be a mainstay in an area where the 49ers haven't had a lot of continuity this season.

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