Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently highlighted Nick Bosa as one of the San Francisco 49ers' top three players entering the 2025 NFL season, alongside tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner. The latter two are arguably the best at their respective positions.
However, when it comes to edge defenders across the league, PFF analyst Ryan Smith sees Bosa just outside the top three. In his ranking of the NFL's 32 best edge defenders based on PFF's advanced analytics, Bosa landed at No. 4—trailing Myles Garrett (Browns), Micah Parsons (Cowboys), and T.J. Watt (Steelers).
"Bosa's 89.3 PFF pass-rush grade was his lowest since his rookie season in 2019 — a testament to how dominant he has been through the first six years of his career," Smith wrote. "However, he still finished tied for third in pass-rush win rate (20.0%) and ranked fifth in total pressures (69)."
Although Bosa fell short of double-digit sacks for the first time since 2020, he came close with nine in 2024. Additionally, he posted 52 tackles, 24 quarterback hits, one interception, one pass defensed, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 14 games.
The 49ers' defensive line struggled overall last season. Their 68.1 team pass-rush grade ranked just 18th in the NFL. In response, San Francisco prioritized upgrading the trenches in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting three defensive linemen—Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West.
Collins and West project as interior defenders, while Williams, who will line up on the edge, has the potential to draw attention away from Bosa, creating more one-on-one opportunities and potentially boosting the star pass rusher's productivity this season.
"I can't wait to get to practice, I ain't gonna lie to you," Williams said after being drafted. "I can't wait to get to practice. ... I can't wait to learn from him (Bosa). I've got so many questions."