This is not a bad consolation for likely losing out on the Nick Bosa sweepstakes.
The San Francisco 49ers stunned the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, improving to 4-10, building some more momentum, but also likely tanking their shot at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. They now sit a game back of the Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders, and are also now in the fourth position behind the New York Jets due to strength of schedule.
The loss means Ohio state edge rusher Nick Bosa is likely going to be off the board by the time the 49ers pick, but there are still a host of talented options that could give the defense a significant boost.
SB Nation’s Dan Kadar put together his latest 2019 NFL mock draft, and he has the 49ers landing Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen. The edge rusher rankings at this point are Nick Bosa and then everybody else, but Allen would be a serious talent infusion. Here’s what Kadar has to say about the pick.
Allen surprised some by returning to Kentucky for another season, but it paid off for him. He rounded out his game and asserted himself as a likely top 10 pick in April. For the 49ers he would give them a versatile pass rusher who can attack from different positions. If the 49ers can’t get Bosa, Allen should be their first priority.
Kadar’s top three picks were Bosa, Alabama DT Quinnen Williams, and Alabama OT Jonah Williams. That leaves Allen, Houston DT Ed Oliver, LSU CB Greedy Williams, and Clemson edge rusher Clelin Ferrell available, among plenty of others.
Bosa could turn out to be the kind of generational talent some are projecting, so losing out on him could sting. And yet, there are several options with considerable upside that will be there when the 49ers pick. Allen or Ferrell would likely be an instant upgrade at edge rusher, while Williams could be an intriguing option in the secondary.
One other part of Kadar’s mock is what we see at the bottom. He has Alabama safety Deionte Thompson at No. 31. If he slips to the end of the first round, the 49ers could very well climb up or hope he slips to them early in the second round to secure a second big defensive addition.
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