Where did Pro Football Focus rank 49ers linebackers Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw?
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers own one of the best linebacker units in football now, but Pro Football Focus looked at the Niners' two best in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw individually.
A year ago, the folks over at Pro Football Focus ranked the San Francisco 49ers' linebacker group No. 1 of all 32 teams across the NFL entering 2022.
It shouldn't be too big a surprise, right? After all, All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner is regularly considered one of the three best in the league, while fellow backer Dre Greenlaw has come into a big name in his own right.
Heading into 2023, PFF hasn't put together a list of top linebacker groups by team just yet, but they did just rank out the best 32 linebackers individually.
Where Warner and Greenlaw both landed may surprise you.
Or it may not. We'll let you be the judge of your own level of surprise.
Pro Football Focus ranks Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw in top 10 of best linebackers in 2023
PFF's rankings include some pretty lofty names, yet Niners fans may actually be a bit surprised where both Warner and Greenlaw are ranked.
Both are in the top 10, and PFF tiered the list of 32 in seven groups, the first tier being the Top Gun of the class, the "best of the best."
That's where Warner landed, but not just within the top three.
No, Warner was No. 1 overall, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Lavonte David and the New Orleans Saints' Demario Davis where Nos. 2 and 3, respectively.
Alright, so few San Francisco fans would argue about Warner being the best linebacker in the game heading into this upcoming season, but Greenlaw is a bit more of a surprise. He actually finished at No. 8 overall, falling into Tier 2 with names like Matt Milano, Roquan Smith, Shaq Leonard, Bobby Wagner and Tremaine Edmunds (from Nos. 4 through 9 in that order).
Read more: Dre Greenlaw to miss some time following thumb surgery this offseason
Greenlaw first got his name on the map, thanks to that goal-line stop against the Seattle Seahawks in the waning seconds of the final regular-season game of 2019, one which ensured the 49ers the top seed in the conference, which they'd use to get the Super Bowl.
Warner, meanwhile, continues building his already-impressive resume.
And it appears as if PFF hasn't just taken note but also is reinforcing these two players' dynamic pairing with the red and gold.
Read more from Niner Noise
feed