Nick Bosa falling to the San Francisco 49ers at No. 2 overall seemed like a pipe dream a week ago. Most had the Arizona Cardinals using the top pick in next month's draft to select the former Ohio State pass rusher.
Things are different in this post-NFL-Scouting-Combine world. The buzz from Indianapolis revolved around the Cardinals' interest in former Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray. It was enough interest to make him, not Bosa, the No. 1 overall pick.
Whether the Murray-to-Cardinals talk is a smokescreen or not remains to be seen, but a report from NFL Network on Tuesday states that Arizona is shopping quarterback Josh Rosen after making him the No. 10 overall pick last year.
Three prominent draft analysts released their post-Combine mock drafts on Tuesday, and each has Murray going No. 1. That scenario would leave the 49ers, who don't need a quarterback, with their choice of players from their draft board or the option to trade down.
Three high-profile mock drafts were released on Tuesday, and each had the Cardinals selecting Murray leaving the 49ers free to pick Bosa.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
"The Cardinals fully commit to Kliff Kingsbury and his vision in this scenario, which will lead the team to trade Josh Rosen."
San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, Edge, Ohio State
"This couldn't have worked out better for the 49ers. They're looking for an edge rusher and they get the best one in the draft."
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
"Then-Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury recruited Murray to be his quarterback out of high school, as he's the perfect fit for what Kingsbury wants to do offensively. If the Arizona Cardinals are brave enough to hire a head coach whose college alma mater fired him for failing to win games, they have to give him the right pieces to run his offense."
"Without having to trade, general manager John Lynch could snag the best player in the 2019 draft class and fill his team's biggest need at edge-rusher."
Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
"We know that Kliff Kingsbury loves Murray and that Murray would be an ideal fit for what Kingsbury wants to do."
San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, Edge, Ohio State
"The 49ers need an elite edge rusher, Bosa qualifies in every sense, and he will take San Francisco's defense to a new level in conjunction with DeForest Buckner."
