Some reputations are built over years, and others disappear after a few missed games.Fred Warner’s standing, however, seems to operate by different rules. Despite an injury that caused him to miss most of his 2025 season.
TheSan Francisco 49ers leader is still being respected by people whose job is to evaluate NFL players.
Fred Warner and The San Francisco 49ers Get A Huge Vote Of Confidence Before 2026 Season
Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner (54) stands on the sideline during warmups prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
According to a report released by ESPN on July 14, NFL executives, coaches, and scouts still rated Warner as the best off-ball linebacker of the league before the upcoming 2026 season.
The 49ers star came first among all the league off-ball linebackers ahead of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith. The Cleveland Browns rookie Carson Schwesinger came third following his amazing debut year.
“Rarely does a player miss most of a season due to injury and maintain his standing in our top 10. Warner, however, earned around 70% of the first-place votes. It was a slight drop from the previous year, but his status in the position hierarchy remains clear.
Warner has been an All-Pro four times since 2020, second only to edge rusher Myles Garrett(five) during that span. An ankle injury limited Warner to six games last season, but he made the most of those appearances with 51 tackles (two for loss), three pass deflections, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
He diagnoses faster than anyone,”
#49ers Fred Warner was ranked as the #1 LB in the NFL by Execs, Coaches, and Scouts, per ESPN
“Rarely does a player miss most of a season due to injury and maintain his standing in our top 10. Warner, however, earned around 70% of the first-place votes. It was a slight drop from… pic.twitter.com/pXydGYh3nO
— 49ers & NFL News 24/7 (@49ersSportsTalk) July 14, 2026
Despite the shortened campaign, Warner still produced 51 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, three passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Warner’s latest recognition didn’t come without competition. Smith secured the runner-up spot for the third straight year after another productive season for the Ravens, while Schwesinger’s rise to No. 3 followed a rookie campaign that featured 156 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and two interceptions.
The Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun joined Warner as the only two players to appear on every ballot, while Warner, Smith and Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell were the only linebackers to receive first-place votes.
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