Grading the 49ers first-round pick: DE Nick Bosa

Posted By on April 25, 2019

Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the San Francisco 49ers selected Bosa in the first round at the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers just drafted Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa. Let’s break down the positives and negatives of this pick.

POSITIVES.

  1. Strong and powerful (29 reps on the bench).
  2. Plays hard.
  3. Advanced pass-rush technique and hand usage.
  4. Only 21 years old.
  5. Joey Bosa’s little brother.
  6. Almost universally considered the second-best player in the draft.

NEGATIVES.

  1. Short arms (33 inches).
  2. Doesn’t have an explosive first step (33.5-inch vertical jump, 116-inch broad jump).
  3. Not a full-time player in college (alternated defensive series).
  4. Struggled against NFL-caliber offensive tackles in college (see: Orlando Brown).
  5. Plays the same position (Leo) as Dee Ford.
  6. Serious injury history (tore his ACL in high school, missed 11 games last season with an abdominal strain).
  7. Unclear if he will play through injury.
  8. Troubling social-media activity.

GRADE: B-.

This was the worst move the 49ers could have made with the second pick. I would have taken Josh Allen. Former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan would have taken Quinnen Williams. Either player would have been terrific for the 49ers. The best move would have been trading down.

Instead, the 49ers took yet another player with a troubling injury history.

Still, if Bosa stays healthy (big if), he should be a good player. He’s not Solomon Thomas, who can’t rush the quarterback to save his life, and should have been a second- or third-rounder. Bosa has pass-rush talent. He should record about eight sacks per season, give or take.

Here’s the question: Did the 49ers pass on someone better who will average more than eight sacks per season? The answer probably is yes.

This article has 212 Comments

    1. Did we really think Grant would agree with whomever was picked. He thinks 49ers brass should listen to him because je is smartervtjen amy of them. Just tje Cohn effect.

      1. Cohn is the ultimate downer. He would being down a Lottery Winning Party. Complete idiot. Thank God he has no say in Draft decisions.

        1. Because the 9ers have drafted so well over the last 16 years? Other than Kittle, what picks has Lynch made that were good (not great, just not the trainwrecks that Foster and Witherspoon have been)? The problem isn’t Grant. The problem is this franchise continues to draft in the top 5. You’d think with all of those picks they’d eventually get better, but here we are.

  2. I know you don’t have as high opinion on Bosa as most, but glad to see you still can give it a passing grade. Regardless of whether you think he has top tier potential, it is hard to imagine him being a bad player in the NFL barring injury.

    Personally I think Bosa makes the biggest difference to this team year 1 of any potential pick (barring a trade back), and makes the D a lot better. Not sure he ends up being the best player by year 3/4, but he is safe.

    1. He’s always been the best player in this draft. Did you see the way John Lynch sprinted to the podium to hand in the card?! There was never any trade down! It was Nick Bosa for the win baby!!

      1. I still think Q Williams is the best llayer in the draft, but Bosa isn’t far behind.

          2. I’d have to agree with you this year Razor. Not only is Bosa going to be the most dominant rookie, right out of the gate, he also fits the 49ers defense like a favorite pair of bluejeans! This 49ers front seven is going to be scary good, and the back end of their defense is also going the benefit immensely with the addition of Nick Bosa!

            1. 49Reasons, I know you don’t like Thomas, but what’s your take on the reports that the 49ers were trying to trade Thomas and Armstead. Until I see one moved, I’m leaning towards counter ploy to the Cardinals smoke. What say you?

              1. Great call Razor all off season long. This was the right pick like you stated. Nice work brotha!

              2. I think you might be right Razor, I’m just ribbing you a bit because I know how excited you must be that the 49ers landed their guy in Nick Bosa.

                And, BTW, I’ve been around the block enough times to know that Solomon could still develop into a fantastic player, even if he doesn’t ever end up being a great pass rusher.

              4. Wait a minute RAW, Razor isn’t the only one who saw this pick coming a mile away.

                We have to be real for a minute though right Razor ….. anyone who didn’t think the 49ers would take Nick Bosa if they were lucky enough to have Nick on the board thanks to Kyler Murray entering the draft and the Cardinals hiring of Cliff Kingsbury, well …. then they haven’t been paying attention for the last 9 months.

                This was the perfect storm of a little bit of good luck, and that rare instance when the best player on the board also happens to be the perfect fit. This was the proverbial dream-come-true scenario for ShanaLynch, and this 49ers franchise!

            2. Do me a favor Razor, after Grant predictably rips the 49ers for their pick, help me remind him that his top rated pass rusher in this draft class wasn’t even the 2nd pass rusher off the board tonight.

              Can you do that for me Razor?

              2. Congrats to all who predicted this. Big day for Niner Nation. Our D will be Elite very soon. I was torn between Bosa and Williams all off season long then I changed to Williams at the end. So I can’t get any credit with Bosa :)… Big day for us boys!

              3. 49reasons,
                I agree with Grant regarding Allen and Bosa. Wait a few years and let’s do assessment then. I predict that Allen will have better production and higher value in year 3, 4.

      1. I think Bosa was the right pick
        As Grant always says this team is too nice.
        I think Bosa brings a bit of attitude.
        He’s got a lot of moves and they need edge over all else.
        Trade down plus Allen was my biggest hope but at 2 Bosa had to be the pick. And I don’t care if he hates Beyoncé, I do too. If he hates hippies ditto.
        As long as he’s a good teammate -not beating women, hanging with gangs and smoking dope-it’s a win.
        Who cares about his politics.

  4. ( Troubling social media activity ) hardly Grant, Supporting the President of United States is a great thing Trump 2020
    Love this kid even more

    1. Make that 2 of us. I find his Twitter activity refreshing and reaffirming, not troubling. Trump 2020!

    2. I second four nine.
      Norhing wring with him supporting OUR President.
      He doesn’t fold to fake news that Trump or his supporters are some kind of racists or whatever other garbage the left owned media puts out.
      Especially when they have Anti-semites all in their party. The party of the klan and the party of racists.
      Period!

  5. I will trust the judgement of JL Guess there were no fair trade deals, and it takes 2 to tango.
    .
    Nick Bosa just made the Niner defense better.
    .
    Interesting, Raiders took Ferrell, and now the Giants took Jones.

  7. If Bosa is healthy and there are no contract issues I see him as being able to pressure the QB and getting 10 + sacks a year. With Buckner, Ford , Bosa and Alexander the pass rush can be sick. Bosa will not be the target of the offense with the other players the Niners have.

  8. With Josh Allen going to a team that runs the same defense we can easily compare him vs Bosa in the years to come.

    1. Oh we can compare ’em right now if you like. One’s a thoroughbred, and the other is just a very good player. Bosa is the OBJr. of DE’s. He was born and bred for it….

      1. I’ve always preferred Bosa to Allen but I can’t be certain one is better than the other until I see them against NFL talent and how they are used.
        Comparing them now is nice but is just an opinion without much in the way of common data. I look forward to following both their careers as well as those of Ferrell, Burns and Sweat.

        1. It may not be common data but it’s a common fact that Bosa has been bred for the position since the age of 7 years old….

          1. You cant be bred for a position from a certain age… that happens before birth :).
            As to being trained to be DE from a young age… see Todd Marinovich.

            While I prefer Bosa to Allen and would have made the same choice, in 3 to 4 years we will know who the better pick was and if Lynch got the pick right.

            2. That’s true Shoup, but it’s hard to argue that Nick Bosa doesn’t have NFL bloodlines. Sure, he’s been training for this moment since he was just a wee lad, but there is definitely an argument to be made that he was born to play DE in the NFL.

              Nick Bosa is one of the most complete DE’s I’ve seen come out of the college ranks in a long, long time. He’s equally dominant both as a pass rusher, and setting the edge to stuff the run. He is also an increasingly rare defensive prospect in that he is ready to dominate the NFL from the very first moment that he slips on his shoulder pads, and laces up his cleats!

              And now the 49ers front seven is absolutely set! They now have the league’s top pure speed rusher last season on one side, and a master technician of a pass rusher who is equally good at getting after the QB, and stopping the run, on the other side. They are absolutely stacked on the interior with a deep rotation of strong, versatile defensive lineman, led by one of the NFL’s most versatile 3T’s in DeFo Buckner. And they now have two athletic, interchangeable alpha field generals at ILB, both of whom are extremely smart and adept at relaying signals and making sure everyone is on the same page defensively, and lined up where they are supposed to be.

              If they draft one of my favorite Safeties and CB’s over the next couple days, I’m comfortable in predicting the 49ers will have a top 5 defense this season. That’s not a stretch of the imagination by any means. And with Jimmy G back at the helm running Kyle’s offense, their new 3 headed monster at RB, and hopefully a capable big bodied WR and/or another capable TE, oh man, I think this team is definitely capable of knocking off both the Rams and the Seahawks, and reclaiming the NFC West title as soon as this season.

              September can’t get here soon enough!

        1. Yea, but without the steroids, plus Nick has the want and desire to go along with that breeding.

          1. I’m just being contrarian. Now that Bosa is a 9er I am all In. Nick Bosa will be the 2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the year.

            1. Let’s just say that Nick Bosa is the complete package. He’s the quintessential modern day DE, equally adept at rushing the passer and stopping the run, and he’s ready to dominate day one.

              The 49ers really caught a break with the Cardinals hiring of Cliff Kingsburry. I can confidently say that, if the Cardinals hadn’t hired Cliff, AND/OR Kyler Murray hadn’t entered the NFL draft instead of pursuing a baseball career, Nick Bosa would be suiting up for the Arizona Cardinals instead of The San Francisco Forty Niners!

              The tide has officially turned for this up and coming 49ers team, IMO, and now the 49ers are going to turn the tables on the rest of the NFC West!

              Hallelujah!

  9. Great pick! At least he’s ab!e to think for himself. Trump for president in 2020!

    1. Take your political posts, fold em up real nice and stick em straight up your candy a**.
      Thanks for trying to make it so niner fans will have to sort through a million political posts so you can get your rocks off playing Darren5000 trolling the board.

  10. Bosa supporting Trump means he is young and uninformed. It is not a basis for not drafting him.
    Trump in jail in 2021!

      1. Nick has said he’s going to lay off politics and focus on football, and I suggest everyone on this blog ought to join him. Let’s stick to football guys, politics suck compared to football, isn’t that something we can all agree on?

        GO NINERS!

    2. But not Hillary, and the laws she absolutely broke!!

      If your against Hillary, it means you hate women and want to destroy them!

  11. I don’t know how good Bosa is or if he will be better than the other pass rushers available or not

    But to contend for a championship, a team MUST have a number of elite difference makers, players who are heads and shoulders above their opponents in their ability to affect a game. (In 49ers past, some of these were Montana, Lott, Wright, Haley, Carlton Williamson, etc). That’s why Solomon Thomas is a total bust. He may turn out to be a decent NFL player, but … so what? Role players ADD to your team, they don’t MAKE your team a winner.

    So far, Lynch/Shanahan have drafted one difference maker, Kittle, passing up a couple of potential all time great QBs. That’s why Arizona drafted a QB first for the second year in a row. Because Murray might turn out to be a superstar. If he does, the 49ers are in deeper doo doo having to face the Cards, Rams and Hawks twice a year.

    The possible good news? The only things that can counter teams with great QBs is 1) have a great QB yourself and 2) have a primo pass rush (flash to SB 49ers against Miami, and later Denver)

    We shall see.

  12. When Bosa bombs out, and Lynch fired, please, please interview for the 49ers GM job Grant!

    How could you not be considered with your excellent ability to break down tape, diagnose offensive, defensive, and coaching shortcomings, rate talent and assemble a roster.

    If Az could draft QB’s in the top 10 two years in a row, fire a first year coach, hire a first year coach with no NFL experience who was fired by his college, anything is possible. Why not a sportswriter from the Press Democrat as a first year GM?

    A chance to validate your supporters and silence your critics forever!

    That would be awesome.

    Jed, you listening?

  13. LMAO, best player in the draft gets a B-. Your shtick went from embarrassing to pathetic. Good luck staying relevant.

    1. This was the worst move the 49ers could have made with the second pick.

      I can honestly say that Grant Cohn may very well be the only person on this planet who would say such a crazy thing!

      As far as I am concerned, Grant Cohn is now officially on the lunatic fringe!

      Wow, just …. wow, I am not sure what else I can say but that!

      1. The worst move they could have made would have been to draft someone like DK Metcalf or Rashan Gary at 2.

        Note for those hollering for a trade down they just said they didn’t have many offers once Kyler was off the board (1, That wasn’t much of an offer per their conference)

  14. I’m excited!! Nick Bosa on one side. Dee Ford on the other. With Buckner in the middle our defence his just improved. There are some naysayers, of course. They are entitled to their opinion. No draft pick is purfect. Nick will be great once he gains that Nfl experience. Who agrees with this true Niner Faithful?
    PS. I stick with my team through thick and thin. It’s about to get thicker. Other teams are rebuilding, too. So are we.

  15. You’re better than that Grant… at least I thought you were. If Bosa is not an A, I’m living on a different planet than you.
    You’re never going to get an ESPN or NFL Network offer with with such pathetic commentary on the unanimous top player in the draft. You’re only hurting yourself when you put out this kind of garbage based on your feelings being hurt. I feel sorry for you, you have such great potential too. What a shame!

    1. Crab 15

      I’ve got to ‘fess up….I’m in total agreement with Grant on Allen over Bosa…Bosa has 17.5 sacks over 3 seasons…Allen has 17 sacks in his SENIOR SEASON…Allen is faster and can cover better than Bosa…Allen can play D-END as well as OLB…Bosa is a D-END Only…Allen hasn’t missed any games nor plays because of injuries…Bosa OTOH…well, you already know about that….So, as the Bosa supporters continue to BRAY in victory…We Allen supporters are confined to the “shut up and deal ” cage.. with our only joy being the ability to say “I told you so…” when or if ‘yer boy screws up…and I’ll damned well guarantee that he WILL…GO NINERS !!

  17. Grant, I kinda appreciate your different points of view that separate you from the usual talking points.

    Hey, 49er fans – no reason to get upset with ANYONE’S opinion … doesn’t affect in ANY way what will happen on the field.

    Though certainly we can be highly critical of what the 49ers have done in the past two drafts as we can see what has actually occurred on the field of play (and it hasn’t been too good, I think we can all agree on that)

    1. Hey KezarMike, do you know the saying …. crazy is as crazy does?

      If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s fair to assume that it’s probably a duck, don’t you think?

      I have to ask you …. if Grant Cohn told you that the earth was flat, would you believe him?

      1. I don’t “believe” ANYTHING Grant says. I make up my mind. But different points of view don’t bother me. They’re just opinions , though I notice that sports fans nowadays are even touchier than political folks are.

        Nothing Grant SAYS makes any player better or worse than he already is and I assume that nothing he says affects what the 49ers FO does. It’s just sports talk, and that’s no fun unless there’s a healthy dose of passionate disagreement .

  18. Grant being Mr. Positive again

    Very solid pick, comes in as a polished pass rusher that makes our d-line ferocious. Really opening things up for Ford and Buckner, I expect the pas rush to be our strength this coming season.

    Unless it was The player Grant wanted (Josh Allen), he was gonna crap on the pick regardless.

    Grant, please go cover the Jets

    Good day to be a Niner fan!

  19. “This was the worst move the 49ers could have made with the second pick.” Really?!?!?! The WORST?!?!?! Exaggerate much?!?!?! ? Maybe Bosa won’t be great, but get real. I usually enjoy reading your point of view, Grant. This one is a bit ridiculous imho. I’ll remember you said that. We’ll see…

  20. Nice job Gregg. You defiantly were steadfast not wavering at all. I sure hope he turns out better then Thomas.

  21. Take another bong hit, Grant! HOF NFL Personnel Director Gil Brandt ranked Bosa the no. 1 player in the draft. Your writing reminds me of a bratty 2 year old, trying to get attention!

    A+ pick!!!

  22. “This was the worst move the 49ers could have made with the second pick.”

    Well that’s a bit extreme. Picking a punter would qualify, I should think. I definitely would have preferred them trading down but I have to concede that there might not have been very many offers and so choosing bosa is about as good a calculated risk as any other at this point.

  23. I can’t help but feel like CFC is over in Hammer’s basement throwing darts at a 3D Bosa Board he just printed, sipping on Shirley Temple’s and listening to each other vent about how bad the pick was….

    1. I think Hammer is planning his attack on the most negative anti Grant comment. CFC is pulling up draft video and contemplating the 49ers 2nd round pick.

  24. Based on the Trading activity I’m guessing the depth of front 7 players coupled with diverse qb rankings lead to teams being comfortable to sit and wait rather than chase a guy.

    1. Pot, I put it back where Cubus gave you praise, but here it is again.
      .
      I commend your football acumen. Good call.

      1. Thanks. I guess I also got the Daniel Jones to the Giants prediction right, I just thought they would wait until pick 17 instead of pick 6.

        1. No wonder Haskins did not want to attend the draft.
          .
          Good call on Jones.
          .
          I am striking out so far, but at least I was the first poster on this site to predict Murray as the first pick of the draft.

        2. Good call Kettle, but it seems like a reach at #6, don’t you think? I think Jones has a high floor, but a fairly low ceiling. How about you?

          1. They are lighting torches and waving pitchforks for Gettleman. The NY natives are restless.

          2. Definite reach. When I predicted Jones, I thought the Giants were going to hope he fell to #17 and take him then. Definitely not #6. Yikes.

  26. Houston:
    With respect, Trump is the worst President of the modern era and it is not even close.
    Reagan would despise Trump.

    But hey, the Niners have improved this off season.

    1. Yeah, lowest minority unemployment in the history of the US is awful. Lowest overall unemployment in 5 decades is awful. Best stock market in our lifetimes is awful. Trump is an absolute scumbag as a person. For our country he has produced the best results in our lifetimes.

      1. 1. The economy was significantly improving towards the end of the Obama administration. Unemployment was steadily lowering in 2015.

        2. How’s that healthcare coming along?

        3. Is Mexico paying for that wall, as promised?

        4. Still okay with him shaking hands with Saudi Arabia, who assassinated a journalist for the Washington Post?

        1. You people are so Freaking ignorant it’s insane. The dry powder that sat on the sidelines until the GOP taxcuts was in the $trillions. The Trump Bump was real and any knowledgeable person will recognize this fact. Obama was the worst president in US history. He wouldn’t hv been elected to a 2nd term without the fracking boom, which he tried to kill. Without the fracking boom, the unemployment rate would hv been over 14% which would hv ended the Obama presidency. No matter how many lies you imbeciles try to tell won’t change the fact that Americans are better off with Trump than Obama.

          1. I have to congratulate President Obama for beating Jimmy Carter as the worst president in my lifetime. I didn’t think it could be done, but bravo!?

          2. Dude, Obama inherited an economy in complete free fall and handed his successor a boom and you have the f-ing nerve to call him the worst President? Stick to football.

            1. Yep, my opinion and there’s no need to try and tell me what to do or how to think. Thanks buddy.

              1. Anyone with any sense knows that Trent Baalke was the worst president .

                Though as an historical point here, I will note that neither Obama nor Trump were mass murderers killing about a million peasants in three SE Asian nations as LBJ and Nixon combined to do (as well as 57,000 American soldiers killed and hundreds of thousands more physically and psychologically broken , but you will still find Dems and Repubs extolling the virtues of those two presidents).

            2. Lmaoooo. Obama handed Trump a booming economy…
              Funniest thing I’ve read in awhile.
              But yet Bush handed Obama a bad one. (Which is true) but your boy did nothing but create part time jobs, killed healthcare, and rose the debt to three times what the idiot Bush had it at.
              For a second I thought Ribico was just a tad different than that idiot onelame in political knowledge.
              But with this joke. You’re nothing but another brainwashed Trump hating cnn-bot. And you’re on drugs.
              Booming economy… lmaoooooo

      2. Good employment numbers…. Consecutive months of job growth… Houston, want to look up how many consecutive months and report back to the board? Also report who was in the the White House for 5/6ths of those months? We’ll be waiting.

        1. Bush 2 was the most liberal POTUS since Carter. He expanded Medicare without any way to pay for it. His liberal policies hurt America and made Obama look better than he was.

          1. But you are OK with a trillion dollar tax cut and no way to pay for it. Got it

            Now answer my question.

            1. Thanks Ribs for exposing the ignorance of liberals. Expanding Medicare increases spending real dollars on benefits. Lowering taxes actually allows people and companies to keep more of the money they earned. Fed govt tax receipts have actually hit an all time high because people/companies are spending more now that the govt takes less. Only a brain dead liberal could confuse the govt taking less in taxes with the govt spending more in benefits.

              1. Ribs got a plaque hanging over his mantel that reads, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help”.

              2. Houston, ask the residents of Kansas under braindead Brownback how that whole slash taxes, see revenues jump theory worked out. From that radical left group Forbes:

                https://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2017/06/07/the-great-kansas-tax-cut-experiment-crashes-and-burns/#524d95045508

                And yes! Please have the Republicans run on your “Cut Medicare Benefits” platform in 2020! Please, you and Razor spread the word!

                And Razor, you’re a couple years behind me, you’ll be getting your Medicare soon. I can tell you it’s awesome!

              3. Rib, you were wrong on Clinton beating Trump.
                Wrong on Trump vs. Mueller.
                Wrong on Bosa in the 1st round.
                Might as well quadruple down and go for the 4-fecta.

                I predict Trump in a landslide victory against whoever you put up against him.

              4. Wrong on Trump vs. Mueller.

                Nope, Mueller’s report says this guy is a walking sh*tshow, Congress, do your Constitutional duty.

                I predict Trump in a landslide victory against whoever you put up against him.

                Trump is sitting at 40% or just under in approval ratings. A 10 point gap between approval and disapproval. I challenge you find any incumbent with those numbers who won re-election in a “landslide” or any victory at all.

      3. “Best stock market in our lifetimes is awful.”

        Trump inherited a climbing stock market. He just needed to not F it up, and so far he hasn’t.

        1. Boy the 49ers sure wanted to trade down really, really bad. Something fierce!????????

        2. Same goes for Hammer.
          Stick to berating the Niners.
          Politics aren’t your bag.
          Climbing stick market?
          Obama’s growth was the worst in history, a 1 percent climb at the end of his horrible run and it was climbing and booming?
          It’s really simple. Pull up the economy records in history and compare them.
          His run is over so now you can compare. And he stacks up as the worst president in most categories in history.
          Facts are facts! Deal with them. He was garbage as a president, a god in fooling simpletons

            1. Trump took that over and all he needed to do was not f it up. So far he hasn’t.

              His pick for the Fed, Stephen Moore, is not only a gold bug wack job but argued against keeping interest rates down when coming out of a recession (why? to hurt Obama naturally). Now he’s arguing against raising interest rates during expansion (why? to help Trump naturally). This kind of naked partisanship has no place in the Fed. Nominating unqualified clowns like Moore and the nine nine nine guy, Trump is going to find a way to f this up.

              1. JACK HAMMER AND RIBICO

                It seems that ‘our’ love for the niners’ Isn’t our only points of agreement….

            2. Lol I see you and Rib like to leave out context like….
              The depression the country was in after the idiot Bush.
              Nowhere to go but up.
              What about his last six?
              What about his GDP
              What about the overall Debt?
              All was crashing on iOS way out.
              It failed even with his globalist buddies he was back door dealing with that built them up to superpowers and left us jobless and broke.
              Never mention unemployment and companies that left to other countries.
              Stock market is part of the story.
              Obama never came close to Trumps GDP, unemployment rates, putting a dent in the machine that is China and slowing them down.
              All records from trump.
              Obama didn’t create jobs here, Obama didn’t tariff for the oil dollar to have actual value again.
              And so on.
              I could go on all day.
              But the comparison to the two is a joke.
              Like I said CONTEXT is everything.
              So throw the meaningless stats out like it’s overall greatness.
              Not everyone is dumb enough to believe partial bias on economics.
              Nice try though

    2. 49er42……

      A very wet blanket on a very good 9er day, bringing negativity to all…….a REAL ray of sunshine.

    3. 49er42 says:
      April 25, 2019 at 6:58 pm
      Houston:
      With respect, Trump is the worst President of the modern era and it is not even close.
      Reagan would despise Trump.

      But hey, the Niners have improved this off season.

      Soooo you’re speaking for dead men now?
      Heck why not the left use their votes as it is.

      Reagan might appreciate Trump.
      The liberals back then did the same they’re doing to Trump with him.
      At a smaller scale but they hated Reagan and used all of their sources to belittle him at any cost.
      Hollywood, sports and news.
      The left own these entities and obviously a lot of people too.
      Sad

  27. I thought what a great pick. The arguably best player in the draft as he’s not only a stud pass-rusher, but a stud against the run… Then I thought, I bet Cohn craps on him. I wonder if he even got a B… And B- it is… And a wrong B- at that since it’s just factually wrong in many respects.

    Bosa is a beast in the pass rush. He has an excellent get-off, firing off the snap. He is fast off the edge with the ability to quickly get leverage by using his speed to get an angle to the quarterback. Bosa supplies a lot of quick pressure as offensive tackles struggle to keep him from getting upfield. Along with his quick feet, Bosa has the agility to cut back to the inside thanks to his athleticism to bend and get underneath blockers.

    And

    Against the pass, Bosa starts with immediate reactions off the line and rare burst, getting to full speed quickly. Bosa employs the same swipe/swim move his brother does, but he also uses that dominant outside-in countermove that scare quarterbacks to death. While he doesn’t have rare bend around the edge that a true speed-rusher might, his flexibility around the edge is rare and he has the balance to finish when he gets into the pocket. He uses his hands effectively to keep lineman out of his chest and he fights off tackles that get an advantageous jump on him.

    And, of course, his 10-yard split of 1.60 was 5th of all defensive linemen in the draft. Only 0.05 seconds slower than the fastest who came in at 1.55.

    And to think, at one time the P-D produced some great football writers. Silver. Maiocco. Branch. And now we have Mr. Eyeroll…

    1. Branch was the best, but Maiocco was very good as well. Grant’s just butthurt.

      1. I think sometimes Grant just wants to be controversial and loud, while others in the industry are getting better jobs and upping their career’s, poor Grant has not gotten his break and is butthurt, maybe someday Grant, you can leave the PD for someting better.

      2. My boy Matt Barrows is the man! Grant Cohn might be able to fetch his coffee though.

    2. 10-yard split measures three or four steps in a straight line, not explosion with the first step. The jumps test for that. The PD used to produce better comments.

      1. And yet, your top pick Josh Allen never did a vertical jump. Why do you think that is the one drill he never did? Because he was putting up such great numbers in training? On the jump he did, Allen managed two more inches than Bosa on the broad jump (or 1.7% further). Combine that with Bosa’s faster ten-yard (0.6% faster), three-cone (0.7% faster), and short-shuttle (2.2% faster), and the numbers we have suggest that these guys have similar short-area explosiveness.

        Bosa’s vertical was an inch-and-a-half higher than his brother’s, and Joey has had enough burst to succeed in the NFL.

  28. Troubling social media activity.
    Is he running for office or running for the QB?
    This kid looks (imo) like he could be better than his brother. I give him a slight nod over Joey because of his hand technique.

    1. Tell us more about Bosa’s hand technique. Is he more of a Stormy Daniels fan or A Jenna Jamison a fan?

  29. Bosa was a safe pick. He has pedigree and a good track record. Will be interesting to see how his career develops.

    1. SY,
      Same could be said for all players drafted today.
      I agree that he is a safe pick, but would also add that he (on paper at the moment) fills a big need. I feel that not only is he an immediate starter, but he will make those around him better as well.

      1. AES,

        While I am hopeful that Bosa will be all the things we desire, I am reminded that many early aspirations about players fall very short of the mark. This especially true with this team for some time.

        I can only imagine these same people extolling Bosa’s immediate impact will, at the end of the season, excuse non production by stating they are rookies and give him a few years.

        Let’s just wait and see how the season plays out and see if the team improves before we hand out any awards.

  30. 3 quarterbacks picked so far. Pushing talent down to Seattle’s picks 21 and 29. Hoping Burns and Sweat gone by then.

    Edit – Burns off the board.

  31. Everyone was taking Bosa except the Grant man.

    “This was the worst move the 49ers could have made with the second pick.”

    Give us a break Grant, you sound so dramatic. Your just upset that John Lynch didnot take your advice. If it was the worse move, then why don’t you give the grade a F.

        1. It would seem that ship has already sailed, Neal. At this point, I’m not even sure Grant is worthy of an eye roll!

          1. Yes 49, but Grant is not dumb, and I do think he has agenda on some of his over the top comments.

  32. CFC, you just got burned by 3rd Degree Burns going #16. I believe you said there was no way in hell he’d go before 20.

  33. Alright! The sh*thole state welcomes Bosa with open arms. Not too firm of a hug though, don’t want to damage the goods. Goff, Midget*2, look out!

  34. To all those that buried Solomon Thomas, and then cheered:

    On Thursday night, Lynch said, via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBCSportsBayArea.com, that Thomas will “absolutely” be on the team in 2019.

    My condolences to you all. Grant?

      1. If he doesn’t have an impact this year, then I think that’s when you begin to close the book on him. I thought the timing of the reports were suspicious, and part of a counter ploy to the transparent one Klein played….

  35. “This is the worst move the 49ers could have made with the second pick”.

    Grant. Can you at least make an attempt to be slightly objective?
    The worst? Really?

    Worse than Rashan Gary, who had 10 sacks in 30 games? Worse than the Clemson kid the Raiders picked, who was a projected as a second rounder?

    Nick Bosa FILLS a NEED. A glaring one. Universally seen as the best defensive player in the draft from one of the best programs in the country.

    Not saying Boss is perfect but…

    1. He isn’t going to play the same position as Ford. They’re obviously going to play on opposite ends. With Wilson, Goff, and now Murray in the divison, this is a great chess move by Lynch.

    2. He doesn’t have a slow first step, as you’ve claimed. Lynch just raved about his first step on KNBR and the Ohio State coaches have said as much. Watch the tape.

    3. Why take Quinnen Williams when you already have Buckner, Julian Taylor, and D. J. Jones playing inside?

    4. If Josh Allen was that special he wouldn’t have fallen to 8.

    5. He had 29 tackles for a loss and 17.5 sacks in 29 college games. He’s gonna be a pro bowl level player if he stays healthy.

    Step up your game Grant. Step. It. Up.

  36. Grant… you do realize that Josh Allen is 3-4 OLB? I know breaking down Rancho Cotate High School freshman football tape makes you an expert but even you must see Bosa was the way better option for the Niners .

    1. It was right in front of him. I dragged him like a horse to water, but he just wouldn’t drink.?

    2. My nephew was defensive tackle for The Ranch about 12 years ago. Coach Conroy put together some nice defenses.

    3. You do realize Josh Allen went to a team that runs the same defensive scheme the 49ers use?

      1. That’s what makes it so interesting. It will be good to follow both of their careers over the next 3 years.

      2. Of course you don’t realize that Allen can’t set the edge and take on blockers like Bosa… but hey Why would that matter. Your dad was so much better than you at being a grouch.

  37. Well, you can’t double cover all of them, so great!

    Hard to pass on a Sam with 17 sacks though…

  38. Just got home to find out the bad news.
    We got a guy that hasn’t played most of last year.
    WHEN WILL THE GM LEARN???

      1. Yeah. I’m beginning to think there might be a good chance we can get AJ Brown. May have to trade up a few slots.

  40. Lynch confirms they didn’t get much in the way of interest for a trade. Not surprising at all.

    2. Bosa was the apple of the 49ers eye all along, and it would have taken three 1st round picks to give him up. That’s why Lynch ran a lay up with the card with over 4 minutes left on the clock….

  41. Hope AJ Brown stays available until pick 36…

    Regardless, my prediction (and everyone’s prediction): Niners will take a receiver with pick 36.

  43. A++++++++++. Best move the team could have made. Thank God the team doesn’t listen to hack reporters who’s claim to fame is appearing on KRON TV Sports, the Mt. San Bruno of sports analysis. LOL. B-!! Your high!

  46. Just don’t see the overwhelming consensus on Bosa. Hope I’m wrong. Just looks like a kid who will be stood up on the edge at the next level. Don’t like his injury record. We shall see..

    2. I don’t know; I think Winovich is a gamer. Honestly, if I had to choose between Sweat and Winovich, I’m not sure how I would go with the pick.

      Instead of a receiver, I hope they go Cornerback (Layne fits their defensive scheme, but Greedy has some size) or Offensive Line (Jawaan Taylor still available, Elgton Jenkins).

  48. I like the pick I prefer Josh Allen but happy with eather nick or Josh if they would have traded and screwed it up the GM WOULD BE HISTORY now I would be on the phone and be trying to trade some players for picks THIS defense should win a lot of games for us ?

  50. GC, this is what kills me. You are smarter than this. Bosa is a guaranteed star from day 1. Williams is as well. Allen slid because he is a one-dimensional pass rusher. Speed rush only. Bosa will be a pro bowler year two at worst.

  52. 49ers pick 4th tomorrow

    Remaining are D.K. Metcalf, A.J. Brown, Cody Ford, Jawaan Taylor, Byron Murphy, Greedy Williams, Rock Ya-Sin, Irv Smith, Dalton Risner….

    2. I like C. Ford at #36.
      McGlinchey and Ford clearing running lanes could be a thing of beauty for years to come. Having our RB’s run behind that type of OL may be what Shanahan has envisioned since day one.

      A successful running offense will also help keep JG clean and open up the passing game.
      I’ve always believed that strength at the core (trenches) always branches out to all other aspects of the game.
      Build the CORE.

  53. Grant, I see you’re quoting that “former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan would have taken Quinnen Williams”. How about his quote about your preferred pick, Josh Allen that “…his speed doesn’t convert to power”?

    And it’s great Allen’s 33 1/2″ arms are a lot longer than Bosa’s 33″ short arms…

  54. N’Keal goes before DK and AJ.
    Did Harry shrink? He was being touted as a 6’5 WR. ESPN just listed him a tad over 6’2.

    There are still some very good players on the board. We could go DB, OL or WR with 36. Deep draft class, we could trade #36 for a late 2nd rd and another 3rd rd pick. There are some nice possibilities on day two.

  55. The pick at 36 should be Murphy, Thornhill or Williams. Not necessarily in that order.

    1. Murphy is the best zone corner in the draft, and we play a lot of it. Verrett is an indication that they aren’t rigid on size anymore.

      Too high for Thornhill. I’d trade down if you want him.

      Juwaan Taylor has to either have something in his past or a medical red flag. Barring either of those two things, he’d be my pick.

      Greedy Williams would seem like a logical pick but I think you can get a similar player that’s not as thin with the other Williams, Joejuan from Vandy.

      I will sleep on it and choose who I think they’ll take tomorrow. I’m still leaning towards a trade down, but we’ll see. I think Shanny likes Samuel and Ridley. Whichever one is left in the 3rd round might be the pick there.

    2. Jack,
      I’d be fine with either of those guys. But do we wait until the 3rd for a WR or OL?

  56. Even though I do not agree with the pick, over 95% of the football world thinks it is the right thing to do. So it is done and lets move on.

    I still believe we can trade down from the top of the 2nd and the top of the 3rd round for extra picks and meet all of our needs. This draft has a ton of safetys and interior line men in the 2nd and 3rd rounds and the 4th round will produce a nice wr .

  57. A “B” grade is probably fair; given that they used a No. 2 on a player considered in the top three, and maybe the No. 2 player available. If you draft the No. 1 player at No. 1, that would be a “C.”

    Trading down is very tempting, and I agree there’s opportunity costs for taking Bosa. But Niners need some players that are top five in their respective positions; and Bosa is going to be a top-five edge rusher. Right now, the only Niners players who are top five are Kittle, Buckner, and the pissed off kicker. Get the best, and forget the rest!

  58. Assuming health is not a factor, Bosa will be an A level talent in the NFL. I think his floor is 10 sacks. There will be games in which he is a non factor, but there will also be games in which he dominates.

    1. I fear health will be a factor but am crossing fingers.
    2. Pick 36 should be Metcalf or Deebo .

  59. Oh well….I guess Nick Bosa is supposed to be a safe pick. Let’s see how it turns out….. if he is injury free and whether his contract gets signed on time. His brother didn’t play 4 games for Chargers on his rookie season, IIRC.

    At 36, would love to see AJ Brown or Byron Murphy being taken.

  60. For all of you that have a problem with Bosa not being graded an “A”.

    He missed all but 3 games last season with a groin/abdominal injury. He had an ACL injury that ended his high school career. His injury history alone warrants caution that should rate a discount on grading because he was picked with the #2 overall pick. Other things; he has a good first step to get tackles off balance but lacks elite speed….should one of those undersized NFC West mobile QBs start to scramble….Bosa may have more of a problem corralling them vs. a speedier defender.

    I suppose if the Niners are going to use an Under base defense; then Bosa is probably the LEO. That makes Ford the SAM….which IMO makes the strong edge a bit suspect as Ford isn’t the greatest edge defender. But in the more often played Nickel package, I think Bosa is the strong rush end and Ford is the weak rush end (which I guess is sort of a LEO).

    1. AFFP,
      Health is also my concern about Bosa. He’s also close to his ceiling. But I’ll be optimistic. The league is playing sub-packages in 74% of the snaps as NFL Match Up pointed out. So I can see both Bosa and Ford on the field at the same time quite a bit, especially in Bosa’s second season.

    2. For the one down they are in base… Bosa will play the big end just like his brother does.
      For the other 2 downs when they are in sub packages he will play as a DE… here the LEO/ Big End doesn’t apply as they essentially play both more like wide 9 DE’s or LEO’s depending on how you want to look at it.

      1. I doubt Bosa plays Big/Closed End as long as Armstead is still on the team. It’s a position that he played very well. I can see Armstead moving to Nose and Bosa moving to Big End in some special situations when the team wants to run the base under scheme but is expecting outside running and passes.

        In the Nickel package I chose sides based on the way Ford and Bosa pass rush and play the run. Remember that often teams have to defend the run out of the Nickel package too. Bosa is more physical and ready to engage blockers. So it makes sense to put him on the strong side where there may be a Tight End. Ford can rush wide from the weakside and stretch out and play containment in open space.

        1. In the presser, KS or maybe it was JL, indicated that the intent is to move Armstead inside. They stated that they wanted to put Solly and Armstead in their best playing positions (inside). They seemed excited about a 3 man inside DL rotation of Buckner, Armstead and Thomas. Shanahan said that he viewed Bosa as a three-down guy.

          1. I suspect that was based on the Nickel package defense which is pretty much the base defense anyway. But I don’t see Armstead as a Nose in the classic sense if he has to constantly defend against Guard/Center double teams.

  61. So Schneider got a DE with 2nd-3rd round talent in the first round (as Clark’s replacement)? I thought they did with O linemen only. On L.J. Collier at NFL.com:
    Only one season as full-time starter. Slow reaction time to the snap. Not a natural knee-bender. Lacks change-of-direction quickness to mirror movement and tackle. Upfield burst is dull whether standing or with a hand in the ground. Easy to find and punch when attempting to bend the corner as rusher. Inconsistent sack finisher against pocket-mobile quarterbacks. Struggle to sustain motor for secondary rush production.
    I like the pick already!

  62. The pick gets straight A’s from everyone and Grant gives ’em a F. It’s just he didn’t have the guts to write it down on paper….

    1. No, he gave it a B-, for failing to get Gettleman to trade up with Lynch. Gettleman panicked, and did trade away his second, 4th and 5th round picks to move up, but that was after he was excoriated for his earlier picks.
      .
      Gettleman got an F grade, deservedly so. Now, the Giants get to face Haskins twice a year.
      .
      I think the Niners deserve an A-, not a B-, but that is only because of his injury history. I know you think it was an A+, but there are some question marks that will only be resolved on the field.

  63. Grant, your evaluation is as predictable as the selection of Bosa, itself. Negative #5 (same position as Dee Ford), but then you suggest drafting Josh Allen was preferable. Eight sacks a season, based on what? Just for arguments sake, I’ll say he average 13 sacks a year. Oh, and he can set the edge better than Ford, Josh Allen, Solomon Thomas, etc. Bosa’s TFLs and fumbles caused will be most impressive. Enjoy!

  64. I just saw a little bit of tape of Williams and he did resemble the late Reggie White. On the other hand he manhandled guys that were obviously (a lot) weaker than him in college so doing the same in the NFL will be a lot tougher. Bosa’s tape also looks terriffic – he doesnt mereley rely on strength or speed but pairs both with excellent leverage and outstanding technique, which is exactly what is needed to succeed in the pros! Either player made sense at 2nd overall. The Bosa pick (and hopefully the 2nd rounder) will also sell some tickets and a lot of jerseys..

  65. A real sports reporter (Barrows) writes at The Athletic:

    Joey is said to be the more reserved and cerebral of the two. He scored a 37 on the Wonderlic intelligence test — an outstanding mark most quarterbacks don’t achieve — while Nick had a more ho-hum 23. At 6-5 and 1/4-inches, Joey is an inch-and-a-half taller than his younger brother and has longer arms (33 3/8 inches vs. 33 inches for Nick). Nick, however, was a tad faster at the NFL scouting combine (4.79-second 40-yard dash vs. 4.86 seconds for Joey) and was a little stronger in cranking out 29 bench-press repetitions vs. 24 for big brother.

    Stronger.
    Faster.
    Arms are a less than a finger-tip shorter.
    A little shorter giving him the pad-level advantage.

    Plays the same position as his older brother (Big End) in the same defense.

    Joey has 28.5 sacks in 33 starts. In the ****ing NFL. Nick is every bit as talented and athletic as his brother.

    Really, this is the dumbest take on Bosa on the Internet.

    1. “Really, this is the dumbest take on Bosa on the Internet.”

      Don’t be so hard on yourself.

    2. Joey being 6’5″ allows him to carry more weight (muscle) on his frame than someone shorter than him and still maintain his athleticism. I guarantee you that Joey is not still 269 lbs. Bench press really is a silly way to gauge a player’s play strength. It’s important for hand battles (which the Bosa brother’s excel in pass rushing at and shedding blockers against the run) but the true strength of a player comes from his legs and “core”….which unfortunately Nick injured (abs) last year.

      At 6’3” Nick isn’t as easily able to put on good weight that a good NFL 5 technique needs. It’s why I don’t see him as a base down Closed/Big End. I think he’s a base down LEO. I think in the Nickel Nick Bosa is a Closed End pass rusher and Ford is a Weak End pass rusher (LEO).

  67. Pretty melodramatic, Grant. And again with the positional issue. Bosa will play primarily at LDE and he’ll be great. He’ll play the run very well, as he did in college, and he’ll be a handful for RTs to contain. There are question marks to be sure, but most of those revolve around his health. If he’s healthy, the only real question in my eyes is if he’ll be a good DE or a great one.

  68. Grant, we took the ¨Almost universally considered the second-best player in the draft¨ and we got a B- ?
    So I guess trading down (if there was really a chance to do this and considering a good trade) would have given us an A+, taking Williams, A, taking Allen A-…
    Please, fill the gaps for A, B+, and B…, or those would have depended on who we took with the trade ?
    Thanks

  69. Bosa will be fine I worry about durability, I believe there were others the would have been a better choice in the long run, I think Oliver, or Sweat will develop into better all around players.
    I don’t believe Allen will hold up against the run.
    When you complain about Thomas’s lack of sacks it shows how little you understand about the game.
    He had 8.5 sacks in his best season in college , he wasn’t coming in as a pass rusher, and shouldn’t have that expectation.
    He is good at disrupting things inside, and forcing run plays out of their lane, it also hasn’t helped that he was played out of position. a lot of what he does inside shows on film, just not in the stat sheets.

  71. I think Bosa’s injury history by itself wouldn’t worry me so much. But the 49er’s history of picking players and keeping them healthy along with Bosa’s injury history compounds my skepticism. I mean if they had a history of selecting guys with medical issues and it all worked out…then of course I’d have more confidence in the Bosa pick.

    The 49ers have a new medical and training staff. But I think nearly a half decade of mismanagement makes me want the new medical staff to prove that they (and the rest of the front office) are better than the past (remember we were told Foster’s shoulder was fine too and he ended up playing one armed for a good number of games).

  72. So let me get this straight. The 49ers draft the guy who was number 1 or 2 on everyone’s draft list but they screwed up? Proof that you just can’t please everyone…

  73. Love to come back and reread Cohn’s take on the ’19 draft. He’s SI’s problem now. I give him six months and he’s gone unless he’s doing it for free or almost free…

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