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The Kansas City Chiefs need to add depth at every position on defense. Fortunately, the 2026 NFL Draft features a deep collection of talent across all defensive position groups. General manager Brett Veach added some help in the trenches last year. He should double down by finding another young option to pair with the aging Chris Jones and 2025 rookie Omarr Norman-Lott.
Oklahoma Sooners defensive tackle Gracen Halton is an undersized 3-tech who projects as a fourth round selection and a rotational contributor. The combination of Halton, Jones and Norman-Lott would be one of the most explosive interior trios in the NFL.
Halton is only 6'2 5/8", 293 lbs. with just 31 1/8-inch arms. His ability to win with twitch gives him some value on run downs, but he primarily projects as a passing down contributor. Halton’s size makes him a chess piece capable of aligning at either 3-tech or as a base end.
Any interior player Halton’s size needs to test well at the Combine. He delivered, earning a 9.70 relative athletic score (RAS) and ranking among the top 70 athletic testers at his position in nearly the last 40 years. Among all interior linemen who tested, Halton ranked third in the 40-yard dash, fifth in the 10-yard split, tied for second in the broad jump and led the class with a 36.5-inch vertical jump.
According to Next Gen States, Halton reached 20.92 miles per hour while running his 40-yard dash. That was the second-fastest speed among all interior defensive linemen this year, only trailing Southeastern Louisiana’s Kaleb Proctor. Halton’s speed also ranked fifth among all players at his position in the last four years.
Since 1999, Halton’s weight only ranks in the 19th percentile for defensive tackles who attended the Combine, according to MockDraftable. However, his vertical jump ranks third among all qualified players, only trailing Milton Williams and Al Woods. Halton’s 9'6" broad jump ranks in the 93rd percentile.
Halton is far from a complete prospect, but he presents the Chiefs with an opportunity to get younger and quicker along the defensive line without needing to spend a premium pick.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs draft report: Gracen Halton shines at NFL Combine
Continue reading...
Oklahoma Sooners defensive tackle Gracen Halton is an undersized 3-tech who projects as a fourth round selection and a rotational contributor. The combination of Halton, Jones and Norman-Lott would be one of the most explosive interior trios in the NFL.
Halton is only 6'2 5/8", 293 lbs. with just 31 1/8-inch arms. His ability to win with twitch gives him some value on run downs, but he primarily projects as a passing down contributor. Halton’s size makes him a chess piece capable of aligning at either 3-tech or as a base end.
Any interior player Halton’s size needs to test well at the Combine. He delivered, earning a 9.70 relative athletic score (RAS) and ranking among the top 70 athletic testers at his position in nearly the last 40 years. Among all interior linemen who tested, Halton ranked third in the 40-yard dash, fifth in the 10-yard split, tied for second in the broad jump and led the class with a 36.5-inch vertical jump.
According to Next Gen States, Halton reached 20.92 miles per hour while running his 40-yard dash. That was the second-fastest speed among all interior defensive linemen this year, only trailing Southeastern Louisiana’s Kaleb Proctor. Halton’s speed also ranked fifth among all players at his position in the last four years.
Since 1999, Halton’s weight only ranks in the 19th percentile for defensive tackles who attended the Combine, according to MockDraftable. However, his vertical jump ranks third among all qualified players, only trailing Milton Williams and Al Woods. Halton’s 9'6" broad jump ranks in the 93rd percentile.
Halton is far from a complete prospect, but he presents the Chiefs with an opportunity to get younger and quicker along the defensive line without needing to spend a premium pick.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs draft report: Gracen Halton shines at NFL Combine
Continue reading...
