No. 3: 49ers Linebacker Mark Nzeocha
Players who are solely known for their special teams prowess almost always find themselves on the roster bubble each training camp. And veteran linebacker Mark Nzeocha is no exception to the rule.
Except for the fact the Niners seem to like him plenty for what he can offer on special teams.
Nzeocha has been one of San Francisco’s top special teams contributors the past three years, and he’s even received some consideration for a Pro Bowl nod stemming from these abilities. Last year, however, Nzeocha showcased he could do more than just act as a gunner and part of the coverage units, showing up on defense in limited form with an interception early in the season.
True, the 49ers already have plenty of depth at linebacker and likely don’t need Nzeocha to serve on the defensive side of the ball.
Yet considering the Niners special teams unit performed well above average in 2019, Nzeocha should get a lot of the credit but is rarely discussed when thinking about key contributors in this element of the game.