The 49ers have a big lead in the fourth quarter, having dominated the first three plus quarters. The Rams will need a big comeback for a season-opening win.
San Francisco leads 24-7 with 12:57 remaining.
The 49ers took control by stopping Matthew Stafford on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 3:46 remaining in the third quarter. Fred Warner and rookie Gracen Halton stopped the Rams quarterback short of the gaol line.
The play was upheld on replay.
The 49ers then drove 99 yards in 11 plays, with Deebo Samuel catching a 15-yard touchdown. It was Brock Purdy's third touchdown pass, following a 39-yarder to Demarcus Robinson and a 5-yarder to Mike Evans.

#Third

While the San Francisco 49ers had invested heavily in their defensive line last year's draft and in free agency, that didn't stop them from addressing the position early on Day 4 of the 2026 NFL draft.
With pick No. 107 overall in the fourth round, San Francisco took Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton. The 22-year-old earned All-SEC honors once in his four years with the Sooners and recorded 84 tackles, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defensed in 47 games.
In his preseason debut against the Tennessee ****** ans, Halton impressed by taking 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward (even though the play was negated by a penalty). Then, he shed a block and stuffed running back Tyjae Spears on the very next play for a loss.
His performance caught the attention of teammates Trent Williams, who even compared him to another former 49ers defensive lineman.
"Boomer Sooner, Gracen Halton, you know it. G-Baby, man." Williams said in a recent media availability. "Obviously, Oklahoma guy, so I'm always gonna be a little biased, but I think the world kinda saw what he has to offer. Very explosive. Short-area quickness. Really powerful. He puts you in the mind of D.J. Jones a little bit, what he had when he was here. He definitely impressed."

#pick

Two San Francisco 49ers rookies earned spots on Pro Football Focus' all-rookie team for the opening weekend of the preseason, and while wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling put together a productive statistical debut, he wasn't one of them. The honorees were offensive tackle Carver Willis and interior defensive lineman Bryson Eason.
Willis, a fourth-round pick with the versatility to play both inside and outside on the offensive line, posted a 90.1 PFF run-blocking grade in his preseason debut. He did allow three hurries across 23 pass-blocking snaps, an area to clean up, but the run-blocking showing was enough to land him among PFF's top rookie tackles alongside the Rams' Austin Blaske.
Eason, an undrafted free agent along San Francisco's interior defensive line, didn't produce eye-popping numbers but avoided any negatively graded plays in his first outing to earn a 77.3 grade. PFF noted that fellow 49ers rookie Gracen Halton also impressed, posting a 73.7 overall grade, but there wasn't room for a third interior defender on the list.
The three selections reflect a 49ers roster loaded with young talent competing for depth-chart spots this summer. PFF's Team of the Week pulled from a massive rookie pool — teams averaged more than six rookies on the field per snap in the preseason opener — with only players who logged at least 15 snaps eligible for consideration.
Stribling, who didn't make the cut, actually out-produced two of the three receivers who made PFF's list by raw volume. He caught seven of eight targets for 63 yards — more receptions and more targets than either Cowboys receiver Camden Brown (three catches, 62 yards on three targets) or Giants receiver Malachi Fields (three catches, 34 yards on three targets).

#blocking #stribling

While rookies like wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling and defensive tackle Gracen Halton have received much of the shine during their first training camps with the San Francisco 49ers, an undrafted rookie is starting to make a name for himself. An injury Sunday could open the door for him to carve out a roster spot.
The 49ers signed defensive tackle James Thompson out of the University of Illinois on April 26. With DTs CJ West and Alfred Collins entering Year 2, Halton entering as a fourth-round pick and veteran Osa Odighizuwa arriving in Santa Clara via trade, there didn't seem to be much room for a player like Thompson to make a name for himself.
Then he went out in his preseason debut and posted three tackles with 0.5 sacks in 22 snaps after flashing throughout training camp. Pro Football Focus credited him with two sacks, two pressures and a run stop.
A strong camp and preseason debut were enough to make Thompson the 49ers' first option off the bench when defensive tackle CJ West went down with an undisclosed injury during Sunday's practice.
Via ESPN's Nick Wagoner on Twitter:

#thompson #make #halton #west

The San Francisco 49ers' injury report added two more names Wednesday, and it didn't take long for two more players to join them before practice was over.
Defensive tackle Gracen Halton (ankle) and right guard Dominick Puni (concussion) were held out of practice, according to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco. Puni's absence is a particular concern for an offensive line that has already been shuffling personnel through the opening weeks of camp, with Connor Colby working into the mix at left guard. Losing Puni to the concussion protocol, even temporarily, forces San Francisco to lean further on its depth up front.
Halton's ankle issue adds to a defensive tackle room that's already been thin. The 49ers waived Mikail Kamara with an injury designation earlier in camp after he tore his ACL, and rookie C.J. West has been trying to establish himself in the rotation. That group took another hit Wednesday when West and edge rusher ***** us Leo were both shaken up and left practice early, per the same report. Their statuses weren't immediately known, but any extended absence would thin out a front seven that's already dealing with attrition. Halton was enjoying a nice preseason before this injury.
The new additions come on top of an offseason and camp that has been rough on San Francisco's roster. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was placed on season-ending injured reserve because of lingering issues from last year's PCL injury, and the receiver room has been further strained by Mike Evans (quad), Christian Kirk (calf) and De'Zhaun Stribling (hamstring) all missing time. Evans and Stribling are back, at least, and Stribling enjoyed a great preseason debut against the ***** ans.
Running back Jordan James is also out with fractured ribs, and George Kittle opened camp on the active/PUP list as he continues working back from a torn Achilles.

#stribling #already #back #francisco

There was much made of the San Francisco 49ers' draft strategy in 2026 and from previous drafts. It's clear the 49ers have their own board, which is put together with physical and character traits that are desired by the organization. After one preseason game, the 49ers' rookie class was on display against the ****** ans.
De'Zhaun Stribling was stellar with seven catches. Ephesians Prysock showed off his speed and length at cornerback. Jaden Dugger flashed while playing multiple spots on the defense.
Gracen Halton might have made the biggest impact on Thursday night. The defensive tackle spot has needed an upgrade and now with Osa Odighizuwa and Halton, the team may have found a formidable defensive tackle duo. Unfortunately, Alfred Collins experienced the same issues from last season on Thursday and was routinely moved by Tennessee's offensive line. C.J. West is still recovering from injury.
Halton's explosive first step was the story against Tennessee. On 15 pass rushing snaps, Halton generated a pressure and a QB hurry. However, against the run, Halton looked excellent, registering four defensive stops on 15 run defense snaps. Finishing with the highest run defense grade (75.0), Halton showed potential to be a three-down defensive tackle.
While Romello Height gets most of the attention as a pass rush specialist on obvious passing downs, the rookie struggled a bit. It was ****** umed the third-down package would consist of Nick Bosa, Odighizuwa, Mykel Williams (DT), and Height. It is still one preseason game, but the pass rushing package could be Bosa, Osa, Halton, and Mykel.

#halton #pass #mykel

The Oklahoma Sooners' defensive front seven has become one of the best in college football after a disruptive and productive 2025. Despite the losses of Gracen Halton, Damonic Williams, Marvin Jones, Jr., and R Mason Thomas, there's an expectation that the unit will once again be one of the best in the sport.
CBS Sports ranked their top front-sevens in college football, and the Sooners came in at No. 1 in the nation.
Oklahoma's front seven is led by All-SEC second-team defensive end Taylor Wein and preseason All-SEC selection David Stone at defensive tackle. Fellow defensive tackle Jayden Jackson will play a huge role for the Sooners and be as impactful as anyone on OU's defense.
The Sooners need guys like Nigel Smith, Trent Wilson, Bishop Thomas, and James Carrington to raise the talent floor in the defensive tackle rotation. Smith, Wilson, and Carrington were four-star prospects coming out of high school and have the talent and ability to be disruptive in Oklahoma's defense. But they haven't played meaningful snaps at the collegiate level.
To round out the starting lineup, a competition between Adepoju Adebawore, Danny Okoye, Kenny Ozowalu, and others will determine the snap distribution opposite Wein. But in Brent Venables' defense, you can expect the defensive line to make plays in the backfield throughout the 2026 season. There may not be an answer, but the Sooners like the talent they have to work with in 2026.

#Sooners #smith

The San Francisco 49ers are putting the pads on in full for the first time on Friday. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins will take part, as he's recovered from shoulder surgery. Last Saturday, John Lynch anticipated Collins returning in the second window as long as Collins hit the markers he needed to return, which he apparently did.
The 49ers need Collins to take a second-year jump, especially with Mykel Williams still on the Active/PUP. Collins is a former top-50 pick. He was a dominant run defender as a rookie. That'll go a long way for the 49ers, who need to get to passing downs.
Still, with Garcen Halton dealing with a bone bruise, the interior pass rush took a hit. The 49ers could use Keion White in that role, but Collins needs to bring something to the table as a pass rusher. That was not a strength as a rookie.
He had a pressure rate under 4% and only batted one pass. If you're not going to push the pocket, at least get your hand up in a throwing window. We'll see if Collins can change that in 2026.

#francisco

In just four seasons, Brent Venables has transformed the Oklahoma Sooners from the nation's No. 122 defense into the No. 6 unit in college football. Oklahoma must replace several key contributors from last season, including EDGE R Mason Thomas, defensive tackles Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams, Cheetah Kendal Daniels and safety Robert Spears-Jennings.
Despite those departures, there is still an expectation inside the program that the defense will regress in 2026. Instead, Oklahoma believes it has the talent to become the nation's top defense. That confidence stems from Venables' long track record of building elite defenses throughout his coaching career.
On3's J.D. PicKell said on "The Hard Count" that many inside the program believe this could be the best defense of the Venables era.
"They think this might be their best 11 they've had under Venables on that side of the football," PicKell said. "You never worry about scheme with Venables."
Replacing veterans such as Thomas and Halton won't be easy, but Oklahoma believes its overall talent level is stronger than ever. A big part of that is who the Sooners return on that side of the ball. Oklahoma returns 55% of its production on that side of the ball, including stars like David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Taylor Wein, Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke.

The Oklahoma Sooners and head coach Brent Venables are tasked with replacing two key contributors on the defensive line . Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams are both in the NFL now, with Halton being selected by the San Francisco 49ers and Williams signing with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent. But the Sooners may have one of the best in the nation in defensive tackle David Stone .
While those two are big losses, they also give more opportunities for guys like David Stone and Jayden Jackson. Stone was a five-star in the 2024 recruiting class, but had a limited impact as a freshman, finishing with six tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. That led him to enter the transfer portal before the 2025 season, then decide to stay in Norman .
In his sophomore season, Stone showed significant development as part of the interior rotation, recording 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He emerged as a disruptive presence inside, consistently collapsing pockets and forcing offensive adjustments.
College football ******* yst David Pollack sees a high ceiling for Stone.
"You start with a star in the middle with David Stone," Pollack said on 'See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack.' "Stone is an animal. He is a five-star kid... last year, you saw, man, he was really good and now he's just scratching the surface. He could be one of the best defensive tackles in the country."