The 5 best first-round NFL Draft picks by the 49ers in franchise history

The San Francisco 49ers have a rich history of landing cornerstone players via the NFL Draft. Some talents were acquired late in the draft, including wide receiver Dwight Clark, running back Frank Gore, tight end George Kittle and Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana.

Others, though, were the high-profile first-round selections that everyone talks about. Yes, the Niners have had success there, too.

It's worth taking a trip down memory lane to see who the five best first-round draft picks in franchise history are.

The 49ers have done a pretty excellent job of drafting throughout their history. So many of the stars we associate with San Francisco over the years were homegrown drafted players.

As we examined in a recent article, the past decade or so of the team's first-round draft picks have been a little hit or miss. This is to be expected from any franchise.

However, this article is meant to highlight the times that the franchise absolutely got things right in the first round.

Therefore, let's break down the five best first-round picks in Niners history, starting with No. 5.

No. 5: Edge Nick Bosa (2019)

Yes, Nick Bosa may only be five seasons into his NFL career, but he has already established himself as one of the best pass-rushers in the history of the franchise. Taken No. 2 overall in the 2019 draft, Bosa made his presence felt right away.

It is no coincidence that since 2019, the 49ers have made it at least to the NFC Championship game every season except for 2020 when Bosa tore his ACL early in the season. He is an absolute gamechanger on defense and deservedly became the highest paid defensive player in the league in 2023.

If he keeps at his current pace, he is certainly on track for a Hall of Fame career. The 49ers are lucky to have a player and leader like him on defense.

The next former first-rounder is not a Hall of Famer, but he is in the hearts of all Niner fans,