It's no surprise that the San Francisco 49ers are loading up on defensive linemen with their pre-draft visits.
The Athletic's Matt Barrows on Monday reported the 49ers are having top 30 visits with Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen and Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams.
Norman-Lott isn't a projected first-round prospect like the other pair, but the 49ers need a lot of help on the defensive line so looking hard at later-round prospects makes a ton of sense for them. He's a little undersized at 6-2, 291 pounds, but he has 33 3/4-inch arms and a quick first step that helped him rack up 13.5 sacks across the last four seasons.
Nolen and Williams are both players who have regularly been tied to the 49ers at the No. 11 pick. They're both considered first-round talents who San Francisco could conceivably target early in Round 1, but they may also be players they're looking at in a potential move down the board.
It wouldn't be a surprise if the 49ers prioritized the defensive line in the first round of this year's draft. Given public statements from general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan about the state of the offensive line, that group may not need a Round 1 talent this year, leaving the defensive front as their clear top need.
Pre-draft visits don't always tell the story of a team's draft plans. In this instance for the 49ers though it's clear what direction they should be leaning on Day 1 of the draft. Perhaps a player at another position falls to them who is simply too talented to pass up. That would change the calculus. Their lack of action in free agency made the D-line a massive need that they should address early and often. Early reports of pre-draft visits give some indication that's currently their plan.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers early pre-draft visits may indicate direction for 1st-round pick
