Following his standout sophomore campaign, linebacker Fred Warner is the first member of the 49ers to be revealed on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2020, landing at No. 70 on this year's list.
The Top 100 Players of 2020 counts down the top players in the NFL as determined solely by the players themselves. NFL Films collected 970 ballots and interviewed 132 players during the process.
The former third-round pick led the team with 118 total tackles (89 solo) and registered three sacks, three forced fumbles, nine passes defended and an interception for a 46-yard touchdown. He also added an interception against Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIV.
Making his first appearance on the yearly list, Warner has emerged as one of the better coverage linebackers in the league in his two seasons. His 78.5 coverage grade ranks 10th among qualifying linebackers, and his nine forced incompletions on 86 targets (including the playoffs) are the fourth-most of any linebacker in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. He's also registered 14 pass breakups and two interceptions over his young NFL career.
"He makes plays. He gets the ball out," Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones said. "Whether it be interceptions, fumbles. He does it all. I really think he's one of the more underrated backers in this league."
ESPN recently asked over 50 executives, coaches, scouts and players to rank all linebackers with Warner landing in the final spot on their list of Top 10 linebackers for the 2020 season.
For the 10th consecutive year, current NFL players have voted to determine the league's Top 100 players. The three-day series will air Sunday, July 26 through Tuesday, July 28 with three, one-hour episodes each night starting at 5:00 PM PT revealing players No. 100-11. The top 10 players on the list will be revealed in a special two-hour edition on Wednesday, July 29 at 5:00 PM PT, followed by NFL Total Access at 7:00 PM PT.
