For the last five seasons, San Francisco 49ers star Fred Warner has been considered among the top linebackers in the NFL, being ranked as the consensus No. 1 for quite some time.
Warner, a do-it-all linebacker, is elite in pass coverage, has good athleticism, tackles at a high rate, and makes splash plays. Despite dealing with a fractured ankle in 2024, Warner still played at a high level, earning First-Team All-Pro honors for the fourth time in his career.
And yet, when ranking the top 10 linebackers
in the league, former NFL linebacker and current NFL.com analyst Manti Te’o didn’t have Warner at No. 1. Instead, that honor went to Washington Commanders veteran Bobby Wagner.
“Drafted one year before me, Wagner is a player I watched and whose game I tried to emulate,” Te’o wrote. “He is one of the most cerebral players at the linebacker position, which is why the 10-time Pro Bowler has been able to play at such a high level throughout his career. He’s great at dissecting plays and alerting the defense pre-snap, and his post-snap reactions are precise, as he rarely takes a false step.
“Naturally, the 35-year-old has slowed some, recording three of his lowest Pro Football Focus coverage grades in the last four seasons, but his ability to move efficiently has allowed him to stay near the top of the league in tackling, blitzing and run-stuffing.”
Wagner is certainly accomplished, being named to eight consecutive Pro Bowls (2014-2021) and earning six First-Team All-Pro honors over seven seasons from 2014-2020. Since then, he’s earned four straight Second-Team All-Pro honors, coming behind Warner in each of the past three campaigns.
The 49ers linebacker was ranked second on the list, with Te’o pointing out his athleticism and ability in coverage.
“Warner, who recently signed a three-year extension with the 49ers, is a freak athlete who routinely finds ways to impact the game,” Te’o wrote. “His experience playing a hybrid linebacker/safety role in college helped him become a skilled player in coverage, but he can also lower the boom in the backfield and turn the ball over.
“The unquestioned leader of San Francisco’s defense has compiled at least 125 tackles in five of his seven seasons, earning first-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors four times. Warner shows no signs of slowing down in Year 8 and should continue his playmaking ways with Robert Saleh back as his defensive coordinator.”
Interestingly enough, Warner’s former teammate, Dre Greenlaw, came in at No. 3, despite playing in only two games in 2024.
“Greenlaw is an old-school linebacker whose play style and enthusiasm call to mind San Francisco great NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Ray Lewis,” Te’o said. “Injuries sidelined the veteran for all but two games in his final year with the 49ers, though he just made a healthy camp debut with the Broncos. I expect big things from the 28-year-old in his first season in Denver, as he’ll often have a clear runway to the ball-carrier, thanks to the Broncos’ vaunted D-line occupying blockers at the line of scrimmage.”
Here’s how the full Top 10 played out:
1. Bobby Wagner (Commanders)
2. Fred Warner (49ers)
3. Dre Greenlaw (Broncos)
4. Lavonte David (Buccaneers)
5. Roquan Smith (Ravens)
6. Alex Anzalone (Lions)
7. Zack Baun (Eagles)
8. Nick Bolton (Chiefs)
9. Denzel Perryman (Chargers)
10. Frankie Luvu (Commanders)
Do you agree with Warner’s placement on the list? Let us know in the comments below.
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