Niner Noise
FanSided

2019 NFL Draft fits for 49ers: Nick Bosa vs. Quinnen Williams vs. Josh Allen

By Jeremy Wohlfart

"THE PICK IS IN" for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2018 NFL Draft (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
"THE PICK IS IN" for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2018 NFL Draft (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 26: The 2018 NFL Draft logo is seen on a video board during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 26: The 2018 NFL Draft logo is seen on a video board during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Best potential

All draft picks ultimately come down to potential. When you have so many talented prospects, who project to be elite pros at the next level, it comes down to identifying which of the three have the best future.

Nick Bosa

Bosa is a player who has superlatives regularly thrown at him. The No. 1 talent on almost every NFL Draft board, Bosa could prove to be the next in a line of edges taken with the top pick.

Aside from quarterback and possibly left tackle, a premier EDGE is the hardest player for a team to find. They command big dollars, and Bosa is considered to be the next big thing.

There isn’t much to say on the downswing for Bosa. His injury isn’t expected to concern teams overly, and nor is his decision to sit out and prepare for the draft instead of returning to Ohio State. The public had more concerns than the scouts in this regard.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

Quinnen Williams

Williams, in many ways, is considered to be the defensive tackle-version of Bosa — a next big thing with incredible talent and potentially the first overall selection.

A defensive tackle has not been selected first overall for exactly a quarter of a century, with Dan Wilkinson being selected first overall out of Ohio State by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1994 NFL Draft.

Wilkinson would have a productive though slightly disappointing career with the Bengals, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins.

Williams has received similar accolades to Wilkinson in the draft process, and could very well follow in his footsteps and ironically knock another Ohio State player from being the first overall selection.

Josh Allen

In another year, Allen could very well have been the Bosa of his draft class. Unfortunately, while some in the public might take Allen over Bosa, he has not been discussed to be a threat (unlike Williams) for the top selection.

Allen is incredibly talented, and would be welcomed with open arms to the 49ers with the No. 2 pick, but he isn’t quite considered on the level of the first two.

Winner: Nick Bosa/Quinnen Williams (0.5 points each)

There’s really no way to split these two in terms of potential. Both are considered to potentially be on top of the mountain of their respective conditions in the NFL.

Bosa has been the consensus top talent for most of the year, but that’s due more to position, as Williams could be the first defensive tackle in 25 years to be taken first overall due to this insane talent.

Allen may be bringing up the rear here, but that’s not a question of his ability, rather just sheer bad luck in belonging to one of the best defensive line classes the NFL draft has ever seen.