"I thought that his skillset really mimicked what we do," San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Friday of new linebacker Fred Warner. "You can see a lot of it on tape. He's a guy who is comfortable playing in space and a very efficient linebacker, uses his hands well."
The 49ers selected Warner out of BYU with the No. 70 overall pick in the third round. In his last two seasons with the Cougars, he recorded 173 total tackles, 19.5 for a loss, 2.5 sacks, and four interceptions. In 2016, Warner was named a first-team All-Independent. Last year, he had three games with at least 10 combined tackles.
Warner doesn't just play well in space, as Lynch explained. He can also be a physical presence closer to the line of scrimmage and in traffic. However, it was Warner's ability to read quarterbacks that intrigued Lynch and company.
"We saw a number of examples where he lined up in the slot a lot, but he also played what we call stack backer," Lynch continued. "We love the fact that he's done them both. There's a lot of clips. One thing he does, we play a lot of zone defense. You have to read the quarterback. You have to see the quarterback, and when that hand comes off, you break. There's just numerous clips that kind of fit what we do, and he's a guy we just all really appreciated the more and more we watched."
Warner fits the physical profile the 49ers are looking for in defensive players. He is 6-foot-3 and has an arm length of 32 inches. Cornerback Richard Sherman, who was acquired in free agency, is also 6-foot-3 with an arm length of 32 inches. The 49ers' third-round draft pick last year, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon has similar measurements with an arm length one inch longer than Warner or Sherman.
Safety Tarvarius Moore, who was selected 25 picks after Warner and will play cornerback, is 6-foot-2 with arms that measured in at 33 inches during his pro day. Jaquiski Tartt, the 49ers safety who signed a two-year extension on Friday, is 6-foot-1 and boasts arms measuring in at 32 3/8 inches.
"We covet length," Lynch said. "We always talk about no absolutes, but length, much like I remember (former NBA head coach) Phil Jackson was at the forefront of that in basketball, closes down passing lanes. And so when you're in those hooks, guys that have great length and great ability to move in a real athletic fashion, it shrinks the field, and we think Fred's one of those guys who can shrink the field."
