The San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants both lost in Week 8, leaving the top of the 2019 NFL Draft order the same. Both teams are 1-7, and the Giants hold the tiebreaker edge due to strength of schedule. They are followed by the 1-6 Oakland Raiders and then 2-6 Arizona Cardinals.
The top pick in the draft always holds at least a little bit of premium value. There is not always a clear-cut No. 1 pick, but you can do big things with the pick regardless. This year, edge rusher Nick Bosa and quarterback Justin Herbert are among the players in the running for the No. 1 overall pick.
Bosa entered the season viewed by many as the clear No. 1. He suffered a core muscle injury early in the season, and announced he will not be returning once healthy. He is instead beginning his preparations for the 2019 NFL Draft. He could get back on the field in time for bowl season, so this is not a long-term concern.
Bosa could still go No. 1, but if the Giants end up with the No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Justin Herbert could end up being the pick. The Giants do not seem interested in assessing reserve quarterback Kyle Lauletta, and Herbert’s draft stock is rising. The Giants could decide Bosa (or someone else) is the clear better option or could deal away the pick for a treasure trove of picks, but Herbert seems a strong bet to be the pick.
For the 49ers, this bodes well if they continue losing. They face the Giants in two weeks, so this could be settled even more by then. However, if they end up at the No. 2 pick behind the Giants, they could have a great chance at landing Bosa.
There could be a host of great options, even if somebody leapt them to get Bosa at No. 1. SB Nation’s Dan Kadar put together his latest 2019 NFL mock draft, and he has Herbert and Bosa going No. 1 and No. 2. His top five rounds out with Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, LSU cornerback Greedy Williams, and Ole Miss offensive tackle Greg Little.
Right now, ideally we’d see the 49ers land Nick Bosa to beef up a woefully inconsistent pass rush. He would boost that group in part because it would also open things up more in the middle for their bevy of first round pick defensive tackles.