49ers: Ranking San Francisco's GOATs at each position

Ranking the San Francisco 49ers GOATs at each position.

By James Jones | Jul 24, 2019

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 20: Former San Francisco 49ers player Jerry Rice is seen during a ceremony honoring the 1981-82 team at halftime of the NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Levi's Stadium on December 20, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – OCTOBER 7: Defensive tackle Justin Smith #94 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes the Buffalo Bills on October 7, 2012 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. The 49ers won 45-3. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

Defensive End: Justin Smith

When the 49ers signed defensive end Justin Smith to a free-agent contract in 2008 it signaled that the team was willing to spend in order to get better. Sure they had spent money on a few free agents before this, but they hadn’t amounted to much. As such, the team hadn’t made the playoffs in five years, and things weren’t looking much better even after Smith signed.

Smith would show exactly why the 49ers wanted to bring him on board so badly. He posted seven sacks, 73 tackles and one interception in his first year by the bay.

He played a large role in the resurgence of the 49ers from 2011 to 2013, making the Pro Bowl five straight times from 2009 through 2013. He also took home the Pro Football Focus and Sports Illustrated Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2011.

Smith was a part of some of the greatest defenses the 49ers have ever fielded. Defenses that certainly would not have been what they were without “The Cowboy” manning the line.

Honorable mentions: Fred Dean, Cedrick Hardman