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USATSI

The Arizona Cardinals had the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and with their pick of everyone in the class, they went with quarterback Kyler Murray. Defensive end Nick Bosa was another top prospect that year and warned the Cardinals ahead of the draft that if they went with another player it would be a big mistake.

The San Francisco 49ers ended up with Bosa, but the Cardinals did admit the defensive end was the top-rated player on their board ahead of the draft.

"When Kliff Kingsbury and I got together to go to see players and have dinners, we went to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and had dinner with Nick Bosa prior to the draft. And loved him, obviously. Our highest-graded guy on the board. Amazing in every way," former Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim said (via NBC Sports). 

Arizona needed a quarterback and Bosa knew they would pass on him take a QB. Bosa had a warning for the Cardinals, saying if they passed on him, he would go after whoever they chose ahead of him.

Keim reflected on his interaction with Bosa before the draft, saying, "He puts his arm around me and Kliff Kingsbury, both of us, in basically a headlock. And he said, 'I think you guys are going to end up taking that little quarterback, and if you do,' he looked over at me and said, 'Steve, I will haunt you for the rest of your career.'"

Keim is no longer a general manager, but Bosa's mission to go after quarterbacks is far from over. Since being drafted in 2019, Bosa has recorded 43.0 sacks and 47 tackles. He only has one sack on Murray and when Bosa plays, the Niners are 4-3 against the Cardinals. 

The 49ers have been more successful than the Cardinals since Arizona heard Bosa's warning. The Niners have made the Super Bowl since then, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Cardinals only have one winning season.