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San Francisco 49ers: 10 players who have a lot to prove in 2019

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – APRIL 25: Nick Bosa of Ohio State reacts after being chosen #2 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – APRIL 25: Nick Bosa of Ohio State reacts after being chosen #2 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

No. 3: EDGE Nick Bosa

Well, when you’re the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft, you’re going to be hit with a high level of expectations, right?

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Nick Bosa warned the Cardinals about taking Kyler Murray over him
Nick Bosa warned the Cardinals about taking Kyler Murray over him /

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    • Such is the case for Nick Bosa, who’ll need to live up to the kind of hype generated from being such a high draft pick. Additionally, though, Bosa was widely regarded as the top overall prospect in this year’s class. The 49ers managed to land him only after the top-selecting Arizona Cardinals grabbed Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick.

    Bosa will also need to silence any questions or concerns about the 2018 abdominal injury, which largely thwarted his final campaign at Ohio State. Bosa made the business decision to sit out the rest of the year after recovering from the injury, and that apparently panned out well. But now it’s time for him to produce, physically.

    The good news here, however, is Bosa won’t be asked to be the guy right away on San Francisco’s defensive line. DeForest Buckner is coming off a Pro Bowl season, in which he recorded a career-high 12.0 sacks. Meanwhile, Dee Ford had 13.0 sacks of his own with the Chiefs last year, while also managing a league-high seven forced fumbles.

    In a sense, Bosa is walking into arguably the best possible situation right out of the gate.

    That said, Solomon Thomas had nowhere near the hype when the 49ers picked him back in 2017, and he’s already being labeled a bust.

    Bosa needs to ensure that moniker doesn’t accompany his efforts right away.