Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: 10 best rookie seasons in franchise history

By Bryan Knowles

Safety Ronnie Lott #42 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Dan Honda via Getty Images)
Safety Ronnie Lott #42 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Dan Honda via Getty Images) /
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Nick Bosa, SF 49ers
Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Best rookie seasons in San Francisco 49ers history: No. 6: EDGE, Nick Bosa (2019)

The 49ers got the gift of the 2019 NFL Draft when the Arizona Cardinals selected quarterback Kyler Murray No. 1 overall, allowing the Niners to then take perhaps the best overall player in that year’s draft class, Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa.

Bosa transformed San Francisco’s defense from an underwhelming pass-rushing unit into one of the most formidable that season.

In addition to Bosa racking up nine sacks and terrorizing opposing quarterbacks, he’d go on to earn Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and would become a pinnacle part of the team’s defense in the coming years.

While his sophomore campaign was abbreviated by a season-ending ACL tear, going back to Bosa’s impressive rookie year amid the 49ers’ trip to Super Bowl LIV is nonetheless impressive.

San Francisco got a true steal when Arizona passed on Bosa.