Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus took on the task of ranking the top 25 NFL linebackers heading into the 2020 season. Two San Francisco 49ers players — Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw — made the list.
In July, Pro Football Focus ranked the 49ers linebacker group as a top-10 unit. Warner and Greenlaw were a big reason why.
Warner came in at No. 11 within Linsey's ranking.
"Warner's PFF grade this past season was brought down by a 46.8 run-defense grade and over 20 missed tackles, but he was better in both areas as a rookie in 2018 and is developing into one of the better coverage linebackers in the NFL," wrote Linsey. "He has the combination of awareness in the middle of the field to read plays in zone and the athleticism to react and be in position to make plays that all great coverage linebackers need.
"To a lesser extent, both Kwon Alexander and Dre Greenlaw give the 49ers above-average play in coverage from the linebacker position, as well. While many point to the San Francisco pass rush as the catalyst for their defensive revival in 2019, we shouldn't overlook how good their coverage was as a team. Warner was a big part of that"
Greenlaw, who is entering his second NFL season, barely made the ranking, coming in at No. 24. Still, that is not bad for a player who has just one year of NFL experience under his belt.
"Greenlaw's play as a rookie came as a pleasant surprise for San Francisco, particularly with him needing to take on a larger role as Kwon Alexander missed time due to injury," wrote Linsey. "You first think about the play that he made late in the 49ers' Week 17 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks to secure the No. 1 seed for San Francisco in the playoffs, but Greenlaw made plays like that in coverage throughout the year.
"His 72.6 coverage grade ranked 15th among 91 qualifying linebackers on the season. A large part of that grade was that Greenlaw simply didn't allow big plays on his watch. He missed only four tackles all year and allowed fewer than seven yards per reception on passes that were deemed to be into his coverage. It was a promising debut."
