Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Predicting 5 players who make the 2019 Pro Bowl

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 20: DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after he sacked Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium on November 20, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 20: DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after he sacked Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium on November 20, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 29: Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles is tackled after a short gain by DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first half during their game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 29, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 29: Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles is tackled after a short gain by DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first half during their game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 29, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Defensive Tackle DeForest Buckner

Perhaps it was a snub, but DeForest Buckner probably deserved to be in the Pro Bowl after last season. After all, Pro Football Focus ranked him the No. 6 overall interior defender in the league last year.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

What likely hurt Buckner’s chances, though, was the fact his traditional stats were relatively low. His 45 tackles ranked fourth on the team, but Buckner had just three sacks. And voters pay attention to that number regardless whether or not a defensive lineman is playing on the inside or off the edge.

It also hasn’t helped the 49ers have been pretty bad since Buckner was drafted at No. 7 overall back in 2016. This has meant a lack of national exposure, which influences voters’ decisions. Although that changes this year with the Niners playing five prime-time games this season.

Fans across the country will get to see Buckner playing at his best. And there are reasons to believe he’ll break out in 2018 too.

“We have a guy inside in Buckner that’s, in my opinion, going to be elite,” 49ers pass-rush specialist Chris Kiffin said, via KNBR.com. “Any time you have an elite player, you can build around that.”

If San Francisco’s efforts to build around Buckner pay off, we should see a pretty nice spike in the traditional stats too.

And that would constitute a Pro Bowl nod for sure.