The 49ers had a decision to make with the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Should they select Ohio State edge rusher Nick Bosa or Alabama defensive lineman Quinnen Williams?
They opted to go with Bosa, and the consensus around the league is that San Francisco made the right selection.
"I had them graded the same but would have taken Bosa," a former GM told ESPN. "It depends on your system. They are both three-down players to me. Bosa can play in a base 4-3 and then in sub, move into a 3-technique because he is so good with his hands. You cannot teach that stuff."
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But drafting Bosa No. 2 overall might show that GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan made a mistake with a pick from the past.
In their first draft as a 49ers duo, the tandem took defensive end Solomon Thomas. Through his first two seasons, Thomas has only recorded four sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
"Basically, you are saying that with the third pick two years ago, you missed with Solomon Thomas," an evaluator said to ESPN.
Lynch in adamant Thomas will be a part of the 49ers this season, but it's clearly an important year for the former Stanford star.
San Francisco 49ers
After addressing their defense in the first round, the 49ers went offense in the second and snagged South Carolina receiver Deebo Samuel. That pick, too, has received high marks.
[RELATED: How Samuel's Senior Bowl gave him feeling he'd be a 49er]
"The thing about Samuel is you can say 'slot guy' and he probably is, but you can bump him outside some," another evaluator said. "He has return ability, really good run after the catch, is a great kid and a tough kid."
Lynch and Shanahan are entering their third year together with the 49ers. After two down seasons, there are high expectations in 2019, especially after what appears to be a solid draft class.