San Francisco 49ers rookie defensive end Nick Bosa was the first defensive player drafted on Thursday night after being the top-graded prospect on most analysts' draft boards. So it makes sense that he is a favorite to land the coveted NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
That's exactly where the Ohio State product finds himself just days after becoming the No. 2 overall pick, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
According to @DKSportsbook, #49ers DE Nick Bosa is the favorite to be named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year! (+700) #49wz #NFLDraft
— Patrick Tulini (@PTulini) April 29, 2019
The two players behind Bosa are New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (+900) and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (+1000), according to Tulini.
Bosa (6-4, 266) figures to be a Day 1 starter and a defensive star who can boost a pass rush which has underwhelmed in recent years. He won't have to do it alone. The 49ers already have fourth-year defensive star DeForest Buckner and added pass rusher Dee Ford to the defensive front. The two racked up 25 combined sacks in 2018.
Bosa and Ford will likely serve as bookends and take some of the double-team pressure off of Buckner.
"Consider the Niners' front seven fortified with the addition of Bosa, my top-ranked overall prospect, and trade for Dee Ford this offseason," ESPN analyst Mel Kiper recently wrote. "Yes, the 49ers have now taken four defensive linemen in the first round since 2015, but Bosa is the real deal. He could be a leading candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year."
Bosa finished his 2018 season with Ohio State recording four sacks in three games after racking up 13.5 during his previous two years. A core muscle injury shortened his final year with the Buckeyes, and he opted to undergo surgery to repair the damage.
Bosa registered 77 combined tackles with 17.5 sacks in just over two seasons at Ohio State.
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