The 49ers’ linebacking corps isn’t some well-kept NFL secret. Fred Warner is widely regarded as the best off-ball linebacker in the league. Dre Greenlaw has quietly improved during his four seasons and appears to be trending toward Warner’s tier. There isn’t a better duo in the NFL right now, and it may not be particularly close.
A top-11 list of NFL linebackers by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar helps illustrate how far out in front of the league San Francisco’s LBs are.
Warner checks in at No. 1 on the list. Greenlaw isn’t far behind him at No. 5. We encourage you to read Farrar’s breakdowns of each player. It’s a fun read that underscores the versatility and quality the 49ers hold in the second level.
The incredible part about the 49ers’ representation on the list though is not only that they have two of the top five, but they’re the only team with two players even on the list. Cincinnati has Germaine Pratt at No. 9 and Logan Wilson as an honorable mention. Other than that no team has two players in Farrar’s list.
San Francisco’s pass rush will get plenty of headlines with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa leading the way, but what Warner and Greenlaw do in the second level with run stopping and taking away the middle of the field where modern passing offenses thrive is what helps elevate the 49ers into the elite tier of NFL defenses.
