Fred Warner isn't necessarily the best linebacker in 49ers franchise history. But he is one of their best draft picks ever.
Patrick Willis is a Hall of Famer, but he was the 11th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Fred Warner seems to be a future Hall of Famer, and the 49ers drafted him in Round 3 of the 2018 NFL Draft.
That's why NFL.com says Warner is the third-best draft value at linebacker of the past quarter century after Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David.
"Warner is still much earlier in his career than our first two entries, but he appears to be on the same Hall of Fame-caliber track as Wagner and David," writes NFL.com's Eric Edholm. "Through seven seasons, Warner has established himself as one of the great three-down linebackers, rarely leaving the field and able to impact games in myriad ways.
"Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are the two headliners from the 2018 draft class, and deservedly so, but Warner might be that crop's best defender, along with Roquan Smith , the No. 8 overall player drafted that year.
"Warner's coverage ability might be his elite trait; he's intercepted 10 passes (two returned for TDs) and defended 53 in total. But his all-around game is also excellent (he rates as a strong run defender and blitzer), and he's missed only one career regular-season game. There's a reason he wears the green dot for the 49ers' defense: Warner is as dependable and impactful a player as you'll find at linebacker these days."
Warner is the perfect modern linebacker, because he's at his best when he's backing up and playing coverage. And yet, he's extremely well-rounded and durable and he's the ultimate leader. The 49ers are lucky to have him.