The 2023 San Francisco 49ers have one of the best defenses in the NFL. They are stacked at every level with Pro Bowl-caliber talent. Indeed, one could argue that up to eight players on the defense deserve to be part of the upcoming 2024 Pro Bowl Games.

How do these current stars compare to those of the past? In this Betway Insider top 10, we’ll dive into the franchise’s history to rank the 10 best 49ers defensive players of all time.

As usual, all stats are courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Who is on the San Francisco 49ers starting defensive line for the 2023 NFL season?

The 2023 49ers starting defensive linemen are defensive ends Nick Bosa and Chase Young alongside defensive tackles Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave.  They play a big part in both the 49ers’ rushing defense and pass rush.

San Francisco 49ers Defensive Line History

Some notable 49ers defensive linemen over the years have included Cedrick Hardman (the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks) and Justin Smith (who played a big part in head coach Jim Harbaugh’s defenses of the early 2010s).

Famous San Francisco 49ers Defensive Players

Other famous past defensive players for the 49ers include Ronnie Lott, arguably the greatest defensive back of all time, and Patrick Willis, who might have been the best linebacker in history if not for injuries.

Ranking the Top 10 Greatest San Francisco 49ers Defensive Players of All Time

10. Justin Smith

Position: Defensive End
Seasons with 49ers: 2008 to 2014

The 49ers signed talented former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Justin Smith to a six-year, $45 million contract prior to the 2008 season. Smith never had the gaudiest counting stats in the Bay Area, but he was thought of highly by his peers. He ranked No. 17 in the 2012 NFL Top 100 players list and was No. 29 in the 2013 edition.

Smith made five consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl from 2009 to 2013 and earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2011. His presence allowed young outside linebacker Aldon Smith to blossom into a dominant pass rusher on the other side of the line.

9. NaVorro Bowman

Position: Middle Linebacker
Seasons with 49ers: 2010 to 2017

Former 49res LB NaVorro Bowman formed one of the most dynamic linebacking partnerships of the 21st century alongside fellow All-Pro Patrick Willis. Bowman deserves great credit for his individual contributions to the dominant San Francisco defenses under head coach Jim Harbaugh on teams that reached the NFC Championship Game in three consecutive years from 2011 to 2013.

Bowman eclipsed 140 tackles in 2011, 2012, and 2013 -- earning First Team All-Pro honors in each season. An ACL injury caused him to miss the 2014 campaign, but he returned with another First Team All-Pro year in 2015. Bowman would struggle with injuries for the remainder of his NFL career, but his four straight All-Pro seasons earn him a spot on this list. When Bowman healthy, he was a key member of the 49ers’ starting defense.

8. Nick Bosa

Position: Defensive End
Seasons with 49ers: 2019 to present

How highly do 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa’s peers think of him? High enough to rank him as the No. 4 player in the NFL Top 100 list heading into the 2023 season. Bosa earned that honor in the wake of his 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year season, when he led the league with 18.5 sacks while tallying an impressive 48 QB hits.

Bosa just set an NFL record by becoming the fastest player to 50 career sacks. The feat only took him 62 games, surpassing the previous record of 67 by Curtis Greer. The sky's the limit for Bosa, who could very easily challenge the NFL’s career record for sacks before it’s all said and done.

Bosa is currently the best player on the 49ers 2023 defensive roster.

7. Cedrick Hardman

Position: Defensive End
Seasons with 49ers: 1970 to 1979

Former San Francisco defensive end Cedrick Hardman often gets overlooked when discussing the greatest 49ers defensive players of all time. Hardman earns this spot in our top 10 ranking (above even Nick Bosa) because he remains the franchise’s leader in career sacks with 108 (although sacks did not become an “official” NFL stat until 1982).

The 1970 first-round draft pick exploded with 18 sacks during the 1971 campaign, and added 4.5 more in two playoff games that season. He would never record that many in a single season again, but Hardman did register at least 10 sacks in every year from 1974 through 1978.

6. Dave Wilcox

Position: Linebacker
Seasons with 49ers: 1964 to 1974

The late Dave Wilcox passed away in early 2023, and the Pro Football Hall of Famer was remembered for his key contributions to the 49ers. The talented linebacker was a major factor in the early 1970s NFC West championship squads that couldn’t quite get over the hump in the postseason.

Don’t blame Wilcox for the team’s failure to reach the Super Bowl in those years, because he ripped off Pro Bowl berths in seven of eight seasons from 1966 to 1973 and was a Second Team All-Pro selection in 1967 (the only year that he didn’t go to the Pro Bowl).

Wilcox’s 153 games for San Francisco are the second-most ever played by a 49ers linebacker.

5. Leo Nomellini

Position: Defensive Tackle
Seasons with 49ers: 1950 to 1963

Former 49ers lineman Leo Nomellini played on both sides of the ball, starring as an offensive and defensive tackle. He earned four First Team All-Pro selections on defense and two on offense.

Nomellini, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was also named to both the NFL’s 1950s All-Decade Team and the league’s 50th Anniversary Team. He rarely achieved postseason success in the Bay Area but remained loyal to the franchise by spending his entire 14-year pro career with the 49ers.

4. Patrick Willis

Position: Middle Linebacker
Seasons with 49ers: 2007 to 2014

If not for injuries that derailed the second half of his NFL career, former 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis would rank higher on this list. He won the 2007 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award by leading the league with a preposterous 174 tackles. As a rookie, he also earned a First Team All-Pro selection, starting off an impressive run of five such honors in six seasons.

Willis, who was consistently ranked in the top 10 on the annual NFL Top 100 players list, only lasted six games into the 2014 season and played his final NFL game at age 29. He officially retired due to a chronic foot injury in the spring of 2015. Despite only playing a few years in the decade, Willis still managed to make the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team.

3. Bryant Young

Position: Defensive Tackle
Seasons with 49ers: 1994 to 2007

Former 49ers defensive tackle Bryant Young finally got his Pro Football Hall of Fame laurels when the Hall came knocking in 2022. It was a testament to a fantastic 14-year career spent entirely in the Bay Area.

Young was a four-time Pro Bowler with the 49ers, earning a First Team All-Pro selection in 1996 and Second Team selections in 1998, 1999, and 2001. Named to the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team, he tallied 89.5 sacks over the course of his career (not bad for a defensive tackle).

Young, who played the second-most NFL games of any San Francisco defensive player, was beloved by 49ers fans.

2. Jimmy Johnson

Position: Cornerback
Seasons with 49ers: 1961 to 1976

No, we’re not talking about the former Dallas Cowboys coach named Jimmy Johnson but rather past 49ers CB Jimmy Johnson, one of only two defensive backs on this list.  He spent his entire 16-year career in San Francisco, recording the second-most career interceptions in franchise history with 47.

Johnson finally started getting individual recognition as the team became competitive in the early 1970s, earning three straight First Team All-Pro selections from 1970 to 1972. He was also voted to the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Johnson holds the franchise record for most games played by a 49ers defensive player (213).

1. Ronnie Lott

Position: Defensive Back
Seasons with 49ers: 1981 to 1990

Former San Francisco defensive back Ronnie Lott, who played both cornerback and safety, isn’t just the best 49ers defensive player of all time, he’s also one of the best DBs in NFL history. Just consider what is on his resume from his 10 seasons in the Bay Area:

• Most interceptions in 49ers history (51)
• Four-time Super Bowl champion
• Seven First Team All-Pro selections
• Nine trips to the Pro Bowl
• Named to the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team
• Named to the NFL’s 75th and 100th Anniversary Teams
• Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Lott led the league with a stunning 10 interceptions in 1986. So, yes, he was really good.

Parameters of Rankings

These rankings are based on a combination of each player’s individual accomplishments, overall team success, each player’s franchise legacy, and personal accolades and honors earned by each player during his years with the 49ers.