The Niners are in need of a defensive tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The San Francisco 49ers are less than a week away from the 2025 NFL Draft as they wrap up their Top-30 visits, bringing in players at several positions of need.
Among the group was Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander, who has risen up boards during the pre-draft process thanks to a strong athletic showing at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
Alexander was one of several defensive tackles to come to San Francisco on a top-30 visit, joining Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen, Tennessee’s Omar Norman-Lott, Virginia Tech’s Aeneas Peebles, and Ohio State’s Tyliek Williams.
Currently, Alexander is seen as a Day 2 pick by multiple draft pundits, including NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein, who pointed out the defensive tackle’s sneaky pass-rush ability.
“Interior lineman with the size, length and physicality for consideration in odd or even fronts,” Zierlein wrote bout the Toledo product. “Alexander is capable of destroying blocks, but he needs to do a better job of balancing his force to control the action at the point of attack. He can hold his ground when he’s staying low, but the pad level is inconsistent and causes his gap constriction to be hit-or-miss.
“Alexander has above-average rush acumen. He does a nice job of utilizing his traits and crafting a plan of attack. His best football could be ahead of him, but for now, he projects as an average rotational player or backup.”
On Thursday, one week out from the draft, NFL analyst Brian Baldinger joined 95.7 The Game to make the case for the 49ers selecting Alexander next week.
“Darius Alexander caught my eye at the Senior Bowl this year like he did a lot of guys, including [49ers general manager] John Lynch, who was watching him every day in the pits,” Baldinger said. “6’4, 305, played for Toledo. A four-year player for Toledo. But what jumps out, and what I saw at the Senior Bowl was fast twitch. He can explode. He gets off blocks quickly. He uses his length to stack and shed, and that’s what you wanted to see.
“Coming from Toledo at the Mid-America Conference, you want to see him play up and look like he belonged. Well, that’s what we saw at the Senior Bowl. That’s what you saw when he played Pitt this year, when he played Mississippi State. He looks like an SEC defensive lineman. It’s a great draft—a deep draft—for defensive line. Darius Alexander, let’s consider him.”
The 49ers have several options at the top of the draft, but defensive line, specifically defensive tackle, is a priority for San Francisco after releasing Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins this offseason.
San Francisco could target Alexander in Round 2 or Round 3 to add to their defensive line, potentially even pairing him up with another draftee at the position in a deep class.
They’ve been well-connected to him throughout the pre-draft process, seeing him up close at the Senior Bowl before hosting him on the Top-30 visit this month. He could very well be in consideration next week.