49ers Well-Represented on NFC West All-Star Defense

The San Francisco 49ers defense is top-heavy with questionable talents behind the big three names.

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers may have been underrepresented on Bleacher Report’s NFC West All-Star Offense, with Christian McCaffrey notably left off. But on the defensive side of the ball, there’s much less to debate.

On the defensive line, Nick Bosa was an easy choice, lined up opposite Jared Verse, with Leonard Williams and Kobie Turner anchoring the interior. From a 49ers perspective, the team hopes rookie Mykel Williams can deliver a Verse-like impact this season, but no other defensive linemen on the roster have much of a case for being snubbed.

At linebacker, Fred Warner remains a lock for any of these all-division teams, joined by Ernest Jones, a fair and deserved pick.

In the secondary, Deommodore Lenoir was selected as the slot corner. Bleacher Report slotted Devon Witherspoon, who often plays in the slot, as an outside corner, leaving Lenoir inside. That choice raises an interesting debate: would it have been better to put Garrett Williams, an ascending slot corner for Arizona, inside and leave Lenoir outside over Riq Woolen? Lenoir maybe playing more outside this season and Williams is ascending in the slot.

Regardless, the 49ers’ top three defenders — Bosa, Warner, and Lenoir — were all represented, and it’s hard to argue that anyone else on the roster deserved a spot. That speaks to the current state of the defense: heavy on star power at the top, but with plenty of questions about depth and the next wave of talent.

The 49ers are counting on young players like Mykel Williams, Malik Mustapha, and Renardo Green to step up and fill the gaps. For now, though, the All-Star defense reflects the reality of a few elite names carrying a unit still searching for consistency through the core.