The 49ers’ scorching hot start to 2019 resulted in a quartet of players earning nods as starters for the 2020 Pro Bowl.
Here are the four players San Francisco will send to the NFL’s all-star game:
DE Nick Bosa – 1st selection
The 49ers’ top pick in the 2019 draft has exceeded expectations in his first season. Bosa has been a wrecking ball off the edge since his debut in Week 1, and while his statistical production has slowed, he’s still wreaking havoc on opposing offensive lines. He has 9.0 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and an interception. Bosa is a force, and this will very likely not be his only Pro Bowl.
CB Richard Sherman – 5th selection
The 31-year-old is finally healthy and playing again at an elite level. His three interceptions are his most since 2016, the year before he tore his Achilles. He also has 11 pass breakups and leads one of the NFL’s best passing defenses. There’s another factor that doesn’t show up on a traditional box score – quarterbacks simply don’t test Sherman. He frequently shuts down the left side of the field, and has made quarterbacks pay for trying him more times than he’s gotten beat this season. This isn’t just a reputation pick. Sherman is elite and earned this spot.
TE George Kittle – 2nd selection
This was among the most obvious Pro Bowl selections for the NFC. Kittle is the best tight end in the conference, and has a pretty sound argument as the best tight end in the NFL. He is a force as a blocker, and the most dominant pass-catching tight end ever through his first three seasons. There may even be an argument that he’s the most impactful non-quarterback in the league. Kittle in Year 3 has 73 catches for 888 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games. There was no question he was punching his second ticket to Orlando.
FB Kyle Juszczyk – 4th selection
The 49ers pay Juszczyk more than any fullback in the league by a wide margin, but he’s more than earned his paycheck as a do-everything weapon for San Francisco. He’s an excellent lead blocker with enough versatility to split out wide and catch passes like a tight end. Juszczyk in Week 15 also recovered a fumble in punt coverage. His statistical production doesn’t jump of the page – 18 catches for 167 yards and one touchdown to go along with three rushes for seven yards – but his impact is undeniable in a league where fullback play is getting pushed further toward the back burner.
