The 49ers have a pre-draft visit with a promising defensive tackle prospect from Ohio State

Michael Hall Jr. is the prospect the 49ers could bring along slowly.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the San Francisco 49ers have either completed or scheduled a visit with Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr., one of the more fascinating prospects in this year’s NFL Draft.

Hall is listed at 6’3, 290 pounds. He’s in the 70th percentile for wingspan, which is likely why the 49ers interest was piqued. Hall will turn 21 in June. If you watch his highlights or only clips of him winning, you’d wonder why he wasn’t being discussed as a first-round pick.

Then you see his snap count.

Hall Jr. played 413 snaps in 2023, 232 fewer than the other starting tackle on Ohio State. Was it because the Buckeyes played in numerous blowouts? Was Hall Jr. the victim of being at a big school with other prized recruits, which led to less playing time? Or was it as simple as the Ohio State coaching staff feeling like Hall Jr. wasn’t an every-down player?

The answer could be all of the above.

The NFL Draft is about identifying traits in a player that translate, and Hall Jr. oozes with traits. At Ohio State’s Pro Day, Hall Jr. put on a show:

Hall Jr. is all athlete at this point. However, the ground he can cover in a few steps is what makes him an attractive prospect for NFL teams. Hall Jr. had the third-highest win percentage among all defensive tackles on college football last season. And he did that without a pass-rush repertoire.

If part of the reason he wasn’t playing was due to lack of conditioning, Hall Jr. — likely a Day 2 prospect — wouldn’t have to start right away on the 49ers. The hope is that he will get stronger, increase his stamina, and become a full-time starter by Year 2.

At his age, with how often he produced, and his athletic profile, Hall Jr. is the type of prospect you roll the dice on in the NFL Draft.

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