For weeks, it’s been presumed that, if the Cardinals take quarterback Kyler Murray with the first pick in the draft, the 49ers will take Ohio State pass rusher Nick Bosa. That may indeed be the case. But G.M. John Lynch acknowledged on Monday that the team has considered taking Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
Why would they do that? Lynch was asked on Monday.
“Just because he’s an excellent football player,” Lynch told reporters. “The season he had may have been as good of a college football season that I’ve ever seen. He was just dominant. To think that that was his first year playing nose tackle.
“It’s a great story. He went to [Alabama coach] Nick Saban and basically says, ‘I want to play nose for you.’ He’d never played in there. Nick kind of goes on to tell him what he would have to do to make that happen. It was gaining a lot of weight, doing so in a good fashion, and the kid did. What a season he had. He’s a spectacular player. When you look at how your roster is currently comprised, when you have an opportunity to take a talent like that, you certainly look at every avenue to improve your team.”
So where would Williams play on the San Fran defense?
“He can play anything, that guy,” Lynch said. “He’s special.”
So special that Lynch said he’d have no qualms about adding Williams, even with DeForest Buckner on the roster.
“If [Williams] ended up here there’s room for all those guys,” Lynch said. “We really feel like that. The one thing we’ve tried to do is take some versatile players that can have the flexibility to play inside, outside. And I think that gives you flexibility in who you bring in. Philosophically, like I said, coming in waves. We like having strength in numbers and strength in the quality of those numbers.”
Whether it’s Bosa or Williams, the 49ers could end up with a special defensive line. Lynch acknowledged that it has “an opportunity to be dominant.” Apart from quarterback play, that’s the key to winning consistently in the NFL.