The defensive-minded Seahawks continue the trend of bolstering their defense by taking a high-character defensive tackle in the third round. Meanwhile the NFC West affair continued, with the Niners moving up for defensive end Corey Lemonier. The Texans took advantage of the defensive run to take an offensive lineman with huge potential.
NFL Draft picks 2013: Jordan Hill, Corey Lemonier taken in 3rd round
Seattle and San Francisco added rotational players to their defense, while the Houston Texans took a potential long-term answer at offensive tackle.
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James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
One of the draft's smaller defensive tackle prospects, what Jordan Hill lacks in size he makes up for with heart. There were big shoes to fill when former standout Devon Still left for the NFL, but Hill took the reins as the defense's leader in the absence of the 2012 second-round pick.
A penetrating under-tackle, he’ll give Seattle some third-down depth, and a player who could be used as part of their rotation, getting snaps as a rookie.
Corey Lemonier played all 14 games of Auburn’s season as a true freshman and after a 47-tackle, 9.5-sack sophomore year he was named first-team All-SEC. His junior year numbers were a step down (34 tackles, 5.5 sacks), but Lemonier has a lot of potential if he can step up to the NFL level. His motor is a particular asset, not giving up on plays that move towards the sidelines and not hesitating to chase down runners. He has room to add some bulk and some power, something he’ll likely need against NFL linemen.
At this point the 49ers have no needs. They have the luxury of taking specific talents solely for the purpose of achieving one singular goal. The rest of the league are looking for guys who can do everything, but Jim Harbaugh's Niners are happy to go against the grain.
Brennan Williams' father, Brent, played in the NFL for 11 years as a defensive lineman so he has good genes on his side. A gigantic, physically imposing player, Williams has the build for tackle, which is good because he is too big to play on the interior. Williams isn't a great athlete so he'll probably play on the right side, where he could become a dominant run-blocker.
There were some concerns about injury, but the powerful right tackle has a lot of potential. Houston needed a right tackle after parting ways with Eric Winston, and in time Williams could be one of this draft's steals in the third round.
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