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San Francisco 49ers: 5 Young Players to Watch in 2016

By Chandler Wright

Oct 4, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (59) reacts after recording a sack against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter at Levi
Oct 4, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (59) reacts after recording a sack against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter at Levi /
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Dec 5, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive end DeForest Buckner (44) celebrates after a sack in the second quarter against the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac-12 Championship at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive end DeForest Buckner (44) celebrates after a sack in the second quarter against the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac-12 Championship at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

1. DeForest Buckner

The 49ers kicked off the Baalke/Kelly era in the biggest and best way possible, by selecting Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner with the NFL Draft’s seventh overall pick. Buckner is a long and powerful 3-4 defensive end with all of the traits that Baalke and Kelly both covet. Here is what Chip Kelly said about Buckner, post drafting him, courtesy of Ninersnation.com’s David Fucillo.

"“Pretty good too. I think it’s unique that I have an opportunity and [49ers defensive line coach] Jerry Azzinaro who is our defensive line coach and was with me at Oregon, has an opportunity to coach those guys again. They’re what we were always looking for when I was at the college level and the chance to see them now play in the National Football League. It doesn’t surprise me that they were both first-round draft picks. They’re what you’re looking for when you’re running a 3-4 defense, athletic enough guys that not only play on first and second down, but you can get a lot of really good positive production out of them on third down. DeForest, he actually as a freshman at Oregon, he played outside linebacker for us. So, he’s played on his feet and has dropped into coverage and that kind of tells you a little bit about his athleticism. So, it’s exciting to get those guys back together again.”"

So what does Buckner bring to the 49ers in 2016?

A. Talent Level

Buckner finished his senior season at Oregon with 83 tackles, 17 for a loss and 10.5 sacks. He also added five passes defensed and a fumble recovery. These kinds of stats would make him a Pro Bowler at the next level, and if they happened during his rookie season, potentially DROY.

The reason behind Buckner’s success is his sheer talent level. When you are 6’7″ 291 pounds, and run a 5.05 40 yard dash, you’re going to be something special. ESPN’s Sport Science even compares Buckner’s strength to a Big Horned Ram. That’s just pure natural talent that you can’t teach. What you can do is coach up that type of talent. If you’re able to put some polish on it, then it can be very special.

B. Coaching and Scheme Fit

Let’s be clear. I love the 3-4 defensive scheme that the 49ers have been using, since Mike Nolan was hired as the team’s head coach back in 2005. So does Chip Kelly and so does Trent Baalke.

The version of the defense that I understand better is the “2-gap” system. Each defensive lineman, when defending the run, is responsible for the gaps on either side of the offensive lineman that they’re lined up against. This means that the nose tackle lines up directly over the center, at the zero technique position. He covers the A gaps (the A gap is the space between the center and offensive guard) to make sure that the ball carrier can’t come through it. For defensive ends, like Buckner, their position is called the five technique. They line up straight across from either the left or right tackle and make sure to control the B and C gaps so the running back can’t go inside or outside of them. This becomes very important, so that the four linebackers behind them can get to the ball carriers consistently.

The reason that most 3-4 defensive ends are long and powerful (usually 6’5″ 290 pounds or more is ideal) is because they have the strength to go against 300 pound offensive tackles, and length to keep those tackles from getting their hands on them. If the offensive line can’t get its hands on the end, then they can’t finish blocking him.

Now, new 49ers defensive coordinator, Jim O’Neil, runs a hybrid 3-4/4-3 scheme with a mixture of 1 and 2-gap principles. For more information on O’Neil’s defense, check out fellow NinerNoise writer Rich Madrid’s What can 49ers Fans Expect from Jim O’Neil’s Defense Part 1: The Base Defense.

To sum up Madrid, the 1-gap scheme needs the defensive lineman to be quicker and more versatile. This is what makes Buckner unique in the he can play in both schemes, thus why San Francisco made him such a high priority in the draft.

C. Work Ethic

To make it to the NFL a player must work hard. He must also work hard to succeed at the NFL level. Being happy with where you are and what you’re doing can motivate a person to achieve even more than they may have dreamed they could. Here is what Buckner had to say after being drafted by San Francisco:

"“Man, I’m probably the happiest guy in the draft right now being reunited with Arik. Having that history with him back in Oregon, we’re good friends. We’ve been talking about it a little bit throughout the draft process. So, I’m excited, I’m ready to go and try to be a part of this team and help win some games.”"

I’m happy to see that Buckner is happy, because I think it’s important from a football perspective and for life in general.

Prediction

Buckner will be a full-time starter day one, record between five and seven sacks, and make a run at Defensive Rookie of the Year, but his biggest impact will be helping Aaron Lynch and Eli Harold enjoy breakout seasons by eating up the offensive lines in their way.

Next: 2. Arik Armstead