Fresh off winning the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is receiving his flowers for being one of the best pass rushers in the league.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Simeon Rice sees himself in Bosa, and it's not only with the sacks the San Francisco star has racked up during his four seasons in the NFL. 

"I watch him because he lined up like he stole my stance," Rice told NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan and Matt Maiocco on Friday at Super Bowl LVII Radio Row. "So I look at that, I'm like, 'Wait a minute, this young boy lines up like me.' I love the way he plays.

"With the arm cocked back, 97, he's wearing my number, you know what I mean? His stance is just like mine in that he gets down and he's coming every play. It's fun to watch him, man. And he has a motor like no other. I love it. I love the way he approaches [the] game. I love the way he goes about his business. It's fun to watch."

The 1996 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year knows the makeup of a quality pass rush, since Rice recorded 122 sacks during his 12 seasons in the NFL. As a result, he knows the mechanics that make a good defensive apart from sacking the quarterback. 

"You always want to be in turbo mode," Rice continued. "You always want to have a great jump off the ball. I was known for having a great bounce off the ball. So once you're off the ball, you're speeding the offense up. You're throwing your fastball now; you're throwing the change-ups now. You dictate how the game is being played [and] how the offense is going to call plays. 

"You can't just drop back and be comfortable. You have to call those select three-step drops. [The] ball has to be coming out very fast. The offense can't get into its traditional playbook where they want to throw the long ball. Everything has to be fast and sped up. And I see [it] when [the 49ers play]. He is the engine of that team. And making this defense go."

Bosa has 43 total sacks since entering the league as the No. 2 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. There's no doubt the three-time Pro Bowler can reach the heights of Rice if he continues on this career path. 

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