Nick Bosa’s most recent injury just cost him more than the 49ers’ 2025 season when looking at EDGE rankings from NFL evaluators
Nick Bosa is still believed to be one of the best pass rushers in the league when healthy, but his latest injury has the league dropping him down the rankings when it comes to the elite of the position.
Nick Bosa landed 8th among all edge rushers in ESPN’s latest NFL poll, a drop from his 5th-place ranking a year ago. On the surface, that looks like a decline. The truth is, the reasoning behind the slide tells a far more encouraging story for the San Francisco 49ers and their franchise pass rusher.
Nick Bosa 2025 stats
(3 games played)
- 17 tackles.
- 2 sacks.
- 2 forced fumbles.
The ranking is about availability, not ability
When you read the context behind the poll and what sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the drop comes down to one thing: injury. Bosa played in only 3 games last season before suffering his second torn ACL. That kind of absence is going to push any player down the rankings, regardless of talent.
Throughout his career, Bosa has dealt with availability issues. The knee injuries are real and worth monitoring. But the evaluators who participated in the poll made something clear: when he’s on the football field, he remains one of the best edge rushers in the league. One voter ranked him as high as third despite the fact that he appeared in just 3 games.
The speed-to-power move remains elite
One NFL personnel evaluator told Fowler that Bosa still has the best speed-to-power move in the NFL. That’s hard to argue with.
The way Bosa gets off the ball, drives his hands into an offensive tackle’s chest, and pushes the blocker back into the quarterback is his calling card. It has been for years, and it’s what makes him a weekly problem for opposing offensive lines. As long as that burst and first-step quickness remain intact, the power isn’t going anywhere. He is one of the strongest edge rushers in the game, and that combination of speed and strength allows him to bulldoze tackles at a rate few defenders can match.
Age is on his side
The good news for San Francisco is that Bosa is still firmly in the middle of his prime at 28 years old. He’s not a player on the back end of his career trying to squeeze out one more productive season. He’s a player who, when healthy, belongs in any conversation about the top pass rushers in the NFL.
The 8th-place ranking reflects concern about durability, not a fading skill set. If Bosa returns to full health and plays a complete season in 2026, there’s every reason to believe he’ll climb back up those rankings in a hurry. The talent, the technique, and the physical tools are all still there.
The bottom line is this: the 49ers need Bosa on the field. If he stays there, the ranking will take care of itself.