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49ers NFL Draft Preview: Nick Bosa Or Bust For San Francisco?

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The San Francisco 49ers are in a unique position with the second overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. They can stand pat and likely add the draft’s consensus No. 1 overall prospect in edge rusher Nick Bosa. San Francisco might also have an opportunity to trade down from that slot.

Given general manager John Lynch’s willingness to move up and down the board during his first two drafts in this role, we wouldn’t be surprised if something came to fruition. Either way, there’s a lot on the line here.

Curious what the NFC West rival Rams, Seahawks and Cardinals will be up to in the draft? Check out Forbes' complete NFL draft coverage.

Team Needs

Adding Pro Bowler Dee Ford to the mix this offseason helped a pass rush-starved 49ers squad. In no way does that mean San Francisco shouldn’t double down at the edge position. It remains a top need for the team.

Staying on defense, Lynch and Co. missed out on a true free safety during free agency. That should be a target for the 49ers. On offense, the team also missed out on an opportunity to land Odell Beckham Jr. as its No. 1 receiver. This is an area we expect the 49ers to address. Secondary concerns exist at guard, SAM linebacker and cornerback, as well.

Mock draft: Forbes.com's contributors project all 32 picks of the first round

First-Round Targets

Nick Bosa is the obvious name at No. 2 overall. He would come in immediately and become an elite-level force along Dee Ford from the edge position. In turn, that would create strength on a unit that struggled to rush the passer last season. San Francisco might very well run up to the podium should Bosa be available at two.

Though, it’s nowhere near a guarantee that Bosa is the selection. San Francisco has done a lot of work on Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. He would team up with Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner to form the best interior defensive line tandem in the NFL. Add in Ford rushing from the edge, and this front seven would be absolutely scary.

If San Francisco were to decide against Bosa at edge, Kentucky’s Josh Allen becomes a true wild card. He has the ability to play both with his hands up at linebacker and hands in the dirt at defensive end. Fresh off earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors last season, Allen might have more upside than Bosa. Though, his floor is considerably lower.

Later-Round Targets

Assuming for a second that San Francisco goes edge at No. 2 overall, the offensive line and wide receiver become Day 2 options. The 49ers could be in a position to add a first-round talent at the top of the second round.

Flying under the radar, Boston College guard Chris Lindstrom could be an immediate starter and an improvement over current first-team players Mike Person and Laken Tomlinson. We’d also be intrigued to see if the 49ers take a chance on Kansas State offensive tackle Dalton Risner. He could start at guard immediately and move to tackle once Joe Staley calls it quits.

But the expectation is that San Francisco will go wide receiver in Round 2. The team has brought in pretty much all the top pass catchers in the draft for visits. Assuming D.K. Metcalf is off the board, there’s still a plethora of options here. A.J. Brown (Mississippi), N’Keal Harry (Arizona State), Deebo Samuel (South Carolina) and Hakeem Butler (Iowa State) are names to keep a tab on.

We also wouldn’t be surprised if safety were a target in Round 2 should the 49ers’ not like what they see at receiver. Small-school product Nassir Adderley from Delaware would be a tremendous fit.

Best-Case Scenario

Many believe that the 49ers should look to trade down. Given that the edge pass-rush class is stacked in this draft, that makes sense. But Bosa remains the most-logical fit. Short of San Francisco getting a tremendous bounty for the second selection, Bosa remains the best-case scenario.

Round 2 should include Lynch and Co. adding another target for Jimmy Garoppolo at wide receiver. The best-case scenario here would be a big-bodied red-zone target like N’Keal Harry or Hakeem Butler. If the 49ers ended the first two rounds with Bosa and Harry/Butler, it would be an absolute win.

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