Given the choice, NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah says he would have taken Georgia pass rusher Jalon Walker over his college teammate, Mykel Williams. However, the San Francisco 49ers opted for Williams with the 11th overall pick. While Jeremiah views Walker as the more talented player, he understands why the 49ers opted for Williams—along with some of their other selections.

"I think Walker's just more dynamic," Jeremiah said on NFL Network's 40s and Free Agents. "I think he's going to make more plays. That's another whole conversation, different topic on the Niners, who was fascinating to me that they kind of philosophically shifted a little bit with all the guys they got."


San Francisco used three of its 11 draft picks on defensive linemen—two defensive tackles and Williams, whom they hope will thrive opposite Nick Bosa.

The common thread among the trio? Strong run defense. Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West each earned a run-defense grade of 82.9 or higher from Pro Football Focus (PFF) last season. That's no coincidence, considering the 49ers ranked just 28th in run defense last season with a 54.6 team grade in that category from PFF.

"They focused on guys who can stop the run," Jeremiah noted, "which maybe speaks to their belief that, hey, the Rams are a smash mouth team, and if we have to get through the Eagles in the playoffs, they're a smash mouth team.

"They put a heavy emphasis on guys who can set the edge, and real firm-point-of-attack players versus maybe some more talented pass rushers."

The 49ers' draft strategy may reflect a plan to better match up against the NFC's most physical teams, aiming to toughen the trenches in an area that proved vulnerable last season.

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