San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the top 10 players halfway through 2018
By Peter Panacy
DeForest Buckner. 3. team. 42. . Defensive Tackle.
Without question, third-year defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been the 49ers’ best defender in 2018.
Buckner’s 29 tackles on the year ranks fourth on San Francisco’s defense, which is solid enough. And he’s virtually present on nearly every single Niners defensive snap this season. That might be a bit of a risk. But when considering the prowess he offers up front as a pocket-wrecking machine, it’s understandable why defensive coordinator Robert Saleh needs him present as much as possible.
Oh, and it helps Buckner has already surpassed last year’s sack total (3.0) with 5.5 through nine weeks. If he doesn’t wind up going to the Pro Bowl after 2018, the evaluation criteria for selections might as well be thrown out the window.
According to Pro Football Focus, Buckner isn’t quite having the dominant season he enjoyed in 2017. His 79.1 overall grade is down from the impressive 82.2 mark he posted the year before.
With that slight drop, however, has come the rise in the stats that ultimately matter — sacks and quarterback hits.
Yeah, Buckner is a difference maker and comes in easily at No. 3 on this list.