The 49ers’ draft selection of Nick Bosa looks better and better.
The rookie defensive end, taken with the No. 2 overall pick, missed most of training camp with an injury, but was ready to roll by Game 1 of the regular season, when he had a sack, two tackles and three quarterback hits in the Niners’ 31-17 victory over Tampa Bay.
Over three games, Bosa has 17 quarterback pressures (No. 6 in the NFL), two sacks, four quarterback hits and 11 hurries, according to Rob Lowder of SB Nation.
Lowder wrote Bosa has "been disruptive" through his first three NFL games and has "played a huge role in the emergence of a drastically improved defense."
In the 49ers’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bosa provided consistent pressure – along with his fellow defensive end, Dee Ford – and made a key play at the end of the game that resulted in a Steelers fumble that sealed San Francisco’s third straight win.
Bosa beat Steelers Pro Bowl left tackle Alejandro Villanueva to get to quarterback Mason Rudolph. Bosa’s pressure allowed DeForest Buckner to get a solid hit on the QB, too, forcing the fumble that the 49ers recovered to lock up the 24-20 win.
Even though Bosa still isn’t 100 percent – he’s been withheld from some practices – the former Ohio State standout has shown he’s a force.
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In analyzing the performance of this year’s first-round picks through the season’s first three games, Pro Football Focus says Bosa has been very good – with just a few problems.
"In Week 3 against the Steelers, Nick produced two hits and five hurries across only 24 pass-rushing snaps, taking his pressure total up to 17 and his pass-rush win rate up to 23.5 percent, tied for ninth (with Myles Garrett) and fifth, respectively, among qualifying edge defenders," wrote Pro Football Focus. "One thing to keep an eye on thus far is his tackling – he missed another two tackles this week after missing one in each of his first two games."
Bosa and the 49ers will get a chance to get healthier, with a bye this week. They resume play Monday night, Oct. 7, against the Browns.
