Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Predicting 4 2021 Pro Bowlers from current defense

By Akshaj Dwivedula

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 and defensive end Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers react after a defensive stop during the second half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 and defensive end Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers react after a defensive stop during the second half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Training camp gives us an opportunity to see the young defensive talent of the San Francisco 49ers . Niner Noise predicts which four of them could be Pro Bowlers in 2021.

Technically speaking, the San Francisco 49ers are in year two of a complete rebuild that started last year. Although the emergence of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has left most, if not all, Niner fans with high expectations, this year is as much about developing young talent as it is about winning.

We’ve already taken a look at the offensive side of the ball and managed to predict four 2021 Pro Bowlers from that group. But if you thought the 49ers offense had young talent, well, wait until you see the 49ers defense.

Former general manager Trent Baalke spent his final draft in 2016 stockpiling defensive talent, and current boss John Lynch continued with that trend. With four of the last five first-round picks of the 49ers being defensive selections, clearly the team has focused on defense in the past.

All that leads to the 49ers defense becoming a strong point for the team, although it wasn’t particularly last year.

Under the guidance of first-year defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, the 49ers defense struggled to a 24th finish in yards per game and tied for 22nd in points allowed per game. But like everything else last year, these stats would be very different if Garoppolo was there the entire year.

According to ESPN, with Jimmy G at quarterback, the Niners defense ranked seventh at yards per game with 301.8, nearly 50 yards less than the season average.. They were also tied for ninth in points per game at 19.8, nearly four points lower than their season average. For a team that lost a record five straight games by three points or fewer, that’s a really big deal.

This resurgent defense is what the 49ers should be expecting in 2021, because, as a former NFL vice president of player personnel said (h/t Bucky Brooks of nfl.com):

"You should have at least six to 12 players on your roster from drafts within a three to four-year period. Those guys should be core players on your roster and major contributors at this stage of their careers."

Well, that conveniently fits with the timeline we’ve set for these predictions. The talent on the 49ers should be contributing by then, and if all goes well, there should be a litany of Pro Bowlers on this team.

A few notes before we proceed. There are only two requirements to be eligible for this list: Be less than 30 years old and be on the 49ers defense right now. This is about the young/youngish players on the team currently.

Another thing to note: just because a player doesn’t make this list doesn’t mean that they’re not talented. I just chose these particular four as the most likely in 2021.