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What Kris Kocurek told 49ers rookie Gracen Halton after breakout game in Seattle
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- What Kris Kocurek told 49ers rookie Gracen Halton after breakout game in Seattle
What Kris Kocurek told 49ers rookie Gracen Halton after breakout game in Seattle originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers found another late-round draft gem in defensive lineman Gracen Halton.
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Halton, a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, quickly has emerged as a star on the defense, registering 15 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery through the first six games of the season.
But he stood out in the 49ers' Week 5 win over the Seattle Seahawks, where he made one of the biggest plays of the game by forcing a fumble in the end zone and recovering it for a touchdown. Sitting down with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco on "49ers Talk," he reflected on his breakout game and what it meant to prove himself.
"It meant a lot," Halton told Maiocco. "It's just one game. I feel like I've gotten better. I've got a lot of things that I could've got better at from Seattle. It's a blessing. You give all glory to God, and I feel like that one game doesn't define me. I got way more things out there that I can show, that I can do. But it was a great game. Thanks Coach Kris [Kocurek] for giving me my praise, but just got to keep on getting better. Keep on stacking days game by game."
Halton was humbled by praise from Kocurek, the 49ers' defensive line coach, but was quick to acknowledge that he still needs to focus on improving in other areas. His goal for the rest of the season is to grow so he can continue to have a key role and be a difference maker on San Francisco's defense.
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"He just told me that I'm a good player, and you know, don't let this define me and don't get complacent," Halton told Maiocco. "And that there's a lot of work out there that you need to get better at. That's really the main thing I'm thinking of. Just putting it in my head where it's just like, 'OK, I had a good game, now what?'
"I can't just sit back on that game because the next day comes, you got to wash it out. How am I going to get better? What are things I need to get better at? So just installing that in my head. I give thanks to him."
Halton's early season performance has captured the hearts of fans, but it also is his personality that has drawn attention. After his fumble-recovery TD, he did a dance move to celebrate. Maiocco asked about his thought process behind his moves, and Halton explained the randomness behind it.
"When plays happen, I just do whatever comes to mind, and that dance specifically came to my head," Halton told Maiocco. "I was just in there gigging and my teammates liked it, the fans liked it. I think I'm going to change it up a little bit, but just knowing that it's a dance, some type of dance coming after a play."
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Halton adds a young rising star for the franchise to build their defense around. Boasting one of the oldest rosters in the league by average age, Halton's emergence is a welcome sign for a team looking to extend its Super Bowl window. The 49ers are 6-0 to begin the season, their first 6-0 start since 2019. If he can continue to play the way he has, expect San Francisco to be right in the mix come the end of the season.
