SANTA CLARA -- Nick Bosa knows an outstanding pass rusher when he sees one, and in his estimation, Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby is about as good as it gets.
“I think he’s great,” Bosa said on Friday at his locker inside of Levi’s Stadium. “Yeah, he’s a top rusher in the league, for sure. One of the top.
“I think me and him are the best this year, in my opinion.”
Bosa appears to be the leading candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The 49ers' edge rusher leads the league with 17.5 sacks for the league's top-ranked defense. Crosby has 11.5 sacks, 10th most in the league.
Bosa (24) and Crosby (20) rank first and second in quarterback hits, per Pro Football Focus.
Dallas’ Micah Parsons is receiving a lot of attention as a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year as he has 13 sacks and a league-best 57 quarterback pressures, per PFF.
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But 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan singled out Crosby as the player he has identified as deserving to be mentioned in Bosa’s class.
“Their defensive end, Crosby, is playing as probably the second-best defense player in the league — at least that I've seen this year,” Shanahan said. “I think he's been unbelievable.”
The 49ers (11-4) take an eight-game win streak into their matchup Raiders (6-9) on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.