Selecting another interior defensive lineman in the first round seems inconceivable for a 49ers club that’s invested three of their last four first-round picks in the position. Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams may just be too good for San Francisco to pass on in the event Nick Bosa goes first overall.
Williams is arguably the best player in the 2019 draft despite playing only two seasons for the Crimson Tide. His sophomore campaign was sensational with 8.0 sacks and 19.5 sacks. He is the type of interior pass rusher who changes how offenses operate. Williams’ combination of strength, technique and explosiveness looks like it will translate to an immediate impact playmaker in the NFL.
There’s an obvious numbers issue on the defensive front when considering where he fits on this year’s 49ers’ roster. DeForest Buckner occupies the 3 Technique spot that Williams would ideally occupy. Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas, the team’s other Round 1 picks along the front, will see time at defensive end and along the inside.
The thing to consider with Williams is what the line looks like next season and beyond. Perhaps the 49ers don’t believe Buckner is part of their long-term future – a difficult scenario to envision after he posted 12.0 sacks as an interior defensive lineman last season.
There’s also the more likely scenario – San Francisco doesn’t see one or both of Armstead and Thomas as part of their future. Armstead is on the final year of his rookie deal, and Thomas has been a relative disappointment through two seasons.
If San Francisco thinks one or both of them will be gone by 2020 or 2021, having a player like Williams to step in alongside Buckner would be a sensational option. He could conceivably play big end in base downs if the team doesn’t believe he can handle nose tackle duties. He can then slide inside in sub packages. Williams also gives the 49ers the freedom to kick Buckner out to the edge without losing a ton of production inside.
In the short-term, Williams gives the 49ers a ton of quality depth along the defensive line. Dee Ford will add pressure off the edge with Williams and Buckner wreaking havoc inside. Trying to block both of them on the interior would be a nightmare for offensive lines. A deep defensive line with multiple ways to rush the passer can help buoy an entire defense.
Another interior defensive lineman probably isn’t the most immediately impactful choice for the 49ers. They have more positional needs than defensive tackle, but Williams is potentially the best player in the draft. San Francisco doesn’t have a good enough roster to just skip taking the top player available, and Williams would be that if Bosa is the first player taken.
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