Kelly identifies several NFL players age 25 or younger who could make up the NFL's newest generation of superstar pass rushers. In this instance, Kelly breaks down his list into four tiers: (1) Leaders of the Pack, (2) Not Far Behind, (3) Ready to Break Out, and (4) The Question Marks. Here's what Kelly had to say about Buckner, who was included in his "Not Far Behind" tier of pass rushers:
Buckner finished second among defensive tackles in pressures last year (52), per PFF, while notching three sacks, 19 quarterback hits (tops at the position), and 29 quarterback hurries (sixth). At 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds, there are few linemen with a better combination of length and first-step speed at the snap. As offensive linemen look to grab hold of Buckner, he often leaves them lunging, drawing on his excellent agility to sideswipe the block and move upfield. Oh, and he's got a pretty devastating arm-over swim move, too.
Since entering the league, Buckner has been a workhorse for the 49ers' defensive line with 134 career tackles and 9 sacks in two seasons despite drawing double teams from the opposition. If 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh can continue to progress the unit and find more pass rushing opportunities for Buckner, look out.
Some other interesting names that were thrown into the conversation were Seahawks' Frank Clark and 49ers' Solomon Thomas. You can check out the rest of the article right here.