The 49ers getting the opportunity to draft Nick Bosa was a pipe dream two months ago. Now as the NFL combine wears on and rumors of quarterback Kyler Murray going No. 1 overall begin to surface in droves, the once long odds of the 49ers landing the draft’s top edge rusher feel much more attainable. San Francisco will meet with Bosa at the combine in Indianapolis Saturday night.
Bosa is widely regarded as the top edge rusher in the draft, and most analysts have him at the top of the entire draft class. He said he’s due to meet with the first eight teams to pick in this year’s draft according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Edge rusher just happens to be the 49ers’ biggest need. Bosa only played three games last year as a junior at Ohio State before groin and abdominal injuries sidelined him. He had surgery on his injured core muscle and elected to sit out the rest of the year to prepare for the NFL draft.
He told reporters his injury isn’t one that will become chronic, and it won’t keep him from performing any drills at the combine.
Bosa was a monster in his truncated 2018 campaign. He posted 4.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss in his three games. He finished his three-year college career with 17.5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss in 29 games.
The 49ers need a game-wrecking pass rusher off the edge with the size and strength combination to stay on the field, and stay effective, on all three downs. Bosa appears to check all those boxes, and the 49ers will have a very easy decision on Draft Day if he slips past the No. 1 overall pick.
