NFL Draft 2019: San Francisco 49ers 7-round mock draft

Round 1 – Pick 2

Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky

The unpacking of this pick starts in December. The 49ers were odds on favorites to win the top pick in the draft, and thus star edge rusher Joey Bosa. Bosa was the ideal fit for this team that has already spent three first-round picks up front on their defensive line. He would complete the unit as the dominant pass-rusher he is. Instead, San Francisco went out and beat the Broncos and Seahawks causing them to slip to number two.

Unfortunately for this team the consensus second best player in the draft is Alabama’s Quinnen Williams. The 49ers cannot justify taking Williams, despite being the best interior defensive line prospect in the last five years. As a consolation prize, while still addressing the massive need of edge pass rusher, they get the SEC’s second most dominant defender in Kentucky’s Josh Allen.

Allen has really made a name for himself in his final season as a Wildcat. The team had their best season of all time and Allen was a catalyst defensively. Over the off-season he worked hard adding muscle and working on his flexibility that really showed. Now he has the ability to line up in both a two and three-point stance and attack the quarterback. Technically he’s refined his pass-rush repertoire with a bevy of different moves to keep tackles guessing. Allen is not Bosa but he would be a great compliment to the pieces in place and help this defense tremendously.

There are a handful of other edge defenders that will be in the running with Allen for this spot. Florida’s Jachai Polite, Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell and Florida State’s Brian Burns could make a case for the second best edge after Bosa. It would not be a surprising move for San Francisco to move back, especially to a team looking to jump up and grab the best quarterback while still being inside the top ten to get a pass rusher or much-needed cornerback.