Super Bowl 54: Drafting the best starting roster from 49ers and Chiefs
By Samuel Teets
Defensive Ends: Nick Bosa (SF), Frank Clark (KC)
When the 49ers took Nick Bosa with the second overall pick in the 2019 draft, they expected big things. The Ohio State product delivered with one of the best seasons from a high-drafted defensive end in recent history. Fans acknowledged Bosa’s play by voting him to the Pro Bowl.
During the regular season, Bosa racked up nine sacks, 25 quarterback hits, 47 tackles, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and an interception. He turned up the heat when San Francisco made the playoffs. Bosa sacked Kirk Cousins twice in the Divisional Round and reached Aaron Rodgers once during the NFC Championship.
Frank Clark’s production dropped a little in his first season with the Chiefs. The Pro Bowler averaged 22 quarterback hits and over 10 sacks in his final three years with the Seattle Seahawks. However, Clark finished 2019 with eight sacks and 14 quarterback hits. He also forced three fumbles, recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass.
Clark narrowly edges out San Francisco’s Arik Armstead for the second defensive end position. Armstead recorded ten sacks and 18 quarterback hits in 2019. However, 2019 was Armstead’s first season with more than five sacks. Clark is more proven, and he’s on fire this postseason. Clark sacked Deshaun Watson three times in the Divisional Round and Ryan Tannehill once in the AFC Championship game.
In a healthier year, Dee Ford may have thrown his name into this discussion. Ford made the Pro Bowl in 2018, but his production plummeted in San Francisco.
Defensive Tackles: DeForest Buckner (SF), Chris Jones (KC)
DeForest Buckner and Chris Jones stand out even among Kansas City’s and San Francisco’s plethora of pass rushers. Buckner amassed 19.5 sacks, 34 quarterback hits, five fumble recoveries and 77 tackles in the past two seasons. The Associated Press selected him as a Second-Team All-Pro for 2019.
Jones is even more impressive than Buckner when he’s healthy. Over the past two seasons, Jones accumulated 24.5 sacks, 49 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, and 58 tackles. Keep in mind, he accomplished all of this in three fewer appearances and nine fewer starts than Buckner.
With defensive tackles such as Geno Atkins, Gerald McCoy, and Ndamukong Suh aging out of their primes, Buckner and Jones seemed primed to fill the void.
Jones played a limited number of snaps in the AFC Championship game. The Chiefs expect he will play in the Super Bowl.