Nick Bosa 2019 NFL Draft Position: Odds and Predictions

For most of the seven days that the 2019 NFL Combine lasts (February 26 thru March 4), all eyes will be focused on the one player who many predict will be the top pick in the upcoming draft: Nick Bosa.

It doesn’t hurt that Nick’s older brother, Joey, already plays successfully in the NFL as a defensive end for the Los Angeles Chargers, but it doesn’t help that Nick suffered a season-ending injury his junior year and hasn’t been on a football field since.

Whether Nick can return to his ‘Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year’ form and become the number one pick or instead carry the ‘easily injured’ tag and drop down a few picks is anyone’s guess.

Here we delve into Bosa’s unique journey to the NFL and list the Bosa-related prop bets that oddsmakers have released as well as go over the odds and predictions of when he’ll be selected in the 2019 draft.

Quick Bio: who is Nick Bosa?

Nick Bosa is a 6-foot-4, 263-pound 21-year-old defensive end who was born in Fort Lauderdale, FL in 1997.

Bosa was a four-year starter at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and a multi-year first team all-state player who became a five-star recruit and was considered one of the top players of his class.

In 2016, Bosa began as a true freshman at THE Ohio State University, the same institution his older brother Joey attended just a few years prior.

How good was Bosa at Ohio State?

During the 2 ¼ seasons (30 games) that Bosa played as an Ohio State Buckeye, he registered 77 combined tackles (29 for a loss), 17.5 sacks, a forced fumble that resulted in a touchdown and two passes defended.

Bosa started seven games at defensive end his sophomore year and had 32 total tackles (14.5 for a loss), a team-leading seven sacks, two pass breakups, 8 quarterback hurries and a blocked kick.

For his 2017 sophomore season, Bosa was named a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten and the Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year as well as a Big Ten Champion.

Do the two Bosa Brothers get compared, and who’s better?

Nick’s older brother Joey is slightly bigger – 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, compared to Nick’s size of 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds yet they play defensive end similarly, with a big swipe move inside and outside that is designed to knock the offensive player off his base.

They both have one of those ‘engines’ that keeps them moving and attacking every second they’re on the field which wears their opponents down by the end of the game.

Some say Joey Bosa is one of the top five defensive ends playing the NFL right now, and still, others think that Nick can be just as good or better.

But as their father, Joe Bosa has said:

“But you really can’t compare them until Nick has a Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl. Then, we can start comparing them.”

How did Nick Bosa get injured?

OSU line coach Larry Johnson teaches his defensive ends to ‘flip their hips,’ meaning to point them at the quarterback, which causes a lot of torque and power but that style of play also helped cause Nick Bosa’s core muscles to wear down and tear and require surgery to repair.

On September 20, 2018, Bosa underwent core muscle surgery.

Because the surgery requires 12-weeks recovery time, Bosa was ruled out indefinitely, and on October 16, he announced that he was withdrawing from OSU for the rest of the season.

Why did Bosa not return to play for the Buckeyes?

Bosa is very clear on this – he felt he had no choice.

It takes 12-weeks to recover from that surgery, which brought Bosa’s return to sometime in December, and he and his family felt this would not give him a sufficient chance to return to elite form.

Nick’s father, John Bosa, himself a former NFL player, had this to say about his son not returning to play as a Buckeye:

“There’s timeframes for injuries, and then timeframes for an elite pass rusher. It’s not about rehabbing so you can be back on the used car lot or be a mechanic. When is he able to be safe and play at the same level? When you look at the preparation he goes through in preseason, that’s not a realistic timeframe for it to be safe. It’s just not.”

What are the Bosa positives NFL scouts see?

One scout says Nick is a “cut and paste” of his Brother Joey because they both play extremely hard, are great edge setters and have presence versus the run, along with being a great pass rusher.

Another says Nick Bosa is a versatile, tough and high-effort guy who can drop inside and rush effectively due to his quickness.

They all agree that thanks to Bosa’s aggressive playing style, he should be able to come into the league and contribute and start early.

What are the Bosa negatives NFL scouts are warning about?

Well, there is the whole aforementioned injury factor and whether Bosa will be prone to frequent injuries and whether that will affect his overall ability to contribute.

There’s also his tweets, which one reporter called him out on being “interesting” for taking stabs at a popular movie, a beloved singer and a blackballed athlete:

So, to summarize some of the tweets from next year’s likely No. 1 draft pick, Nick Bosa:
1. Black Panther is the worst Marvel movie.
2. Beyoncé’s music is “trash.”
3. Kaepernick is a “clown.”
Alllllllllllllllrighty then.

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) May 14, 2018

How much money will Bosa make?

Nothing has been reported yet, but hopefully, Nick’s negotiations will go better than they did for his older brother.

In 2016, Joey remained the last unsigned draft pick of his class due to contractual disputes with his team, the Chargers.

The good news was Joey ended up receiving an initial signing bonus that was more money in 2016 than any rookie in his draft class except Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, so chances are Nick learned from his sib and won’t repeat his frustrations. 

Is it true the Bosa family is ‘connected’?

Yes.

Nick Bosa’s great-grandfather was the Chicago mobster Tony Accardo, also known as ‘Joe Batters’ and ‘Big Tuna.’

Accardo was the day-to-day boss of the Chicago Outfit in 1947, and eventually became its ‘big boss’ in 1972.

How has Bosa looked at the Combine?

Nick Bosa has been measured for the 2019 NFL Combine and he is officially 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds.

His Prospect Grade is a 6.52, which means he is predicted to have a chance to become a Pro-Bowl-caliber player.

 Bosa took the field on Sunday, March 5 with the other defensive linemen and the linebackers where they engaged in their on-field workouts, including the 40-yard dash, the bench press and the vertical leap.

Bosa-related Prop Bets now available

As with every NFL event now, there were and still are plenty of proposition bets, or prop bets, associated with Nick Bosa.

For such a big man, Bosa is predictably strong, surprisingly fast and incredibly smart.

Here are the Bosa-related Combine Prop bets that were available, as well as Bosa’s actual combine results, followed by the NFL Draft prop bets that you can still bet on:

Nick Bosa 40-yard dash time

Over 4.65

Under 4.65

Bosa’s 40-yard dash time: 4.79

Nick Bosa bench press reps

Over 24.5

Under 24.5

Bosa’s Bench Reps: 29

Nick Bosa Wonderlic score

Over 31.5

Under 31.5

Bosa’s Wonderlic score: Not Available Yet.

Who will be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft?

• Nick Bosa -200
• Dwayne Haskins +300
• Kyler Murray +400
• Quinnen Williams +500
• Rashan Gary+800
• Ed Oliver +1400
• Josh Allen +1400

Will Nick Bosa be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft?

Yes -200

No +150