Power ranking 49ers top 10 defenders in 2019 entering Week 7

Some may have questioned the 49ers inking veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander to a lucrative free-agent deal during the offseason.

But it surely has paid off.

Alexander is trailing his linebacking teammate, Fred Warner, in tackles by just six. But one could argue he’s made an even bigger difference elsewhere. He has already recorded four pass breakups, which is highest among all Niners non-secondary defenders, and that stat is a key reason why Pro Football Focus has given him an outstanding 79.5 pass-coverage grade — second best on the team overall.

He has an interception, too, which is nice. But perhaps the biggest part of Alexander’s influence is the swag he has brought to this side of the ball.

Alexander’s high-flying ways have transformed over to the rest of San Francisco’s defense, and the results are speaking for themselves.