San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the top 25 players for 2018
By Chris Wilson
3. DT DeForest Buckner
In his second year in the league, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was an elite defender, ranking sixth among all interior linemen, per PFF.
Buckner is effective against both the pass and the run, which presents a challenge for the 49ers’ coaching staff, who want their star defender to remain fresh, yet they want Buckner on the field in all defensive situations. Luckily, the 6-foot-7, 300-pound Buckner has remained durable despite his inflated snap counts.
In a perfect world, the 49ers would rest Buckner on some obvious passing downs, but without established edge rushers, Buckner’s ability to be disruptive in the backfield is an important part of the team’s pass defense.
A healthy Armstead and a more-effective Thomas would also give the team more flexibility in third-down situations, but until the Niners prove they can consistently pressure quarterbacks without their top defender, Buckner will remain the most important player on the 49ers’ defensive unit.