Pattern developing in some 49ers pre-draft visits with DL prospects
· Yahoo Sports
The San Francisco 49ers on Friday were in attendance for the Virginia Tech Pro Day, where they had breakfast with Hokies defensive lineman and 2026 NFL draft prospect Kelvin Gilliam.
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Gilliam in an interview with Sons of Saturday said he met with 49ers reps ahead of Friday's workout.
While much of the focus in the pre-draft process is on who the 49ers will select in Round 1, a player like Gilliam is one they're more liable to target in the later rounds.
It took the fifth-year senior until his fourth season to really find his footing in college football. He spent his first three years with the University of Oklahoma where he played in only 19 games. He had just 10 tackles and no sacks during that stretch.
A transfer to Virginia Tech helped his productivity a bit. He posted 3.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss in 25 games during his two seasons in Blacksburg.
Kelvin Gilliam jumps an impressive 9’9” in the broad jump. pic.twitter.com/orwdFAQS1k
— Sons of Saturday Virginia Tech (@SonsofSatVT) March 27, 2026
There's a bit of a pattern developing with the reported pre-draft visits the 49ers have had. Gilliam is similar to Wisconsin defensive lineman Darryl Peterson who the 49ers met with leading up to his Pro Day. Both players aren't true edge rushers, but they have the versatility to kick inside even though they're probably a bit undersized for the defensive tackle spots in the NFL.
However, as the NFL shifts toward a more "positionless" approach on defense, we may see players like Gilliam and Peterson become valuable pieces on defensive lines.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 2026 NFL draft: 49ers visit with Virginia Tech DL Kelvin Gilliam