View the top images from Wednesday's workout as the 49ers continue Phase 2 of the offseason program.
LB Pita Taumoepenu
T Joe Staley
TE Garrett Celek
CB Ahkello Witherspoon and DB Adrian Colbert
RB Jeremy McNichols
TE Cole Hikutini
2018 49ers
RB Jerick McKinnon
G Joshua Garnett and OL Erik Magnuson
2018 49ers
TE Cole Wick and TE George Kittle
C Weston Richburg
OL Laken Tomlinson
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, QB Nick Mullens and QB C.J. Beathard
OL Andrew Lauderdale
TE Cole Wick
OL Garry Gilliam and C Weston Richburg
2018 49ers
DB Trovon Reed and DB Don Jones
2018 49ers
DB Jimmie Ward
OL Garry Gilliam
2018 49ers
WR Victor Bolden Jr.
OL Laken Tomlinson
OL Andrew Lauderdale
LS/TE Kyle Nelson
P Bradley Pinion
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
DB Jimmie Ward
RB Joe Williams
RB Raheem Mostert
2018 49ers
P Jeff Locke
CB Greg Mabin
If you were to create a list of San Francisco 49ers players who face the greatest expectations in 2018, DeForest Buckner's name would be towards the top. Jimmy Garoppolo is the easy choice for the No. 1 spot, but an argument could be made for Buckner to be in the top three.
That's because Buckner's potential is unmistakable. The 6-foot-7 defensive lineman is on the cusp of NFL stardom, and the 49ers defense is desperate for game-changing talent. In 2017, he led the league with 19 quarterback hits but managed just three sacks. San Francisco's underwhelming records the past two seasons have also contributed to Buckner's play being overlooked on national level.
View the top images from Tuesday's workout as the 49ers continue Phase 2 of the offseason program.
DL Solomon Thomas
2018 49ers
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
LB Brock Coyle
DL Arik Armstead
LB Cassius Marsh
LB Malcolm Smith
LB Mark Nzeocha
DB Tyvis Powell
DL Sheldon Day
OL Erik Magnuson
QB C.J. Beathard
OL Garry Gilliam
DL D.J. Jones
WR Max McCaffrey
DB Don Jones
DB Jimmie Ward
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
CB K'Waun Williams
RB Raheem Mostert
FB Kyle Juszczyk
LB Elijah Lee
LB Korey Toomer
CB Richard Sherman
WR Aldrick Robinson
2018 49ers
LB Brock Coyle
QB Nick Mullens
DL Jeremiah Attaochu
NT Earl Mitchell
QB C.J. Beathard, QB Jimmy Garoppolo and QB Nick Mullens
WR Aldrick Robinson
DL DeForest Buckner
WR Aaron Burbridge
LB Cassius Marsh
DB Adrian Colbert
LB Pita Taumoepenu
DL D.J. Jones
LB Dekoda Watson
LS/TE Kyle Nelson
OL Laken Tomlinson
OL Erik Magnuson
C Weston Richburg
RB Matt Breida
T Pace Murphy
CB K'Waun Williams
RB Joe Williams
QB Nick Mullens, QB Jimmy Garoppolo and QB C.J. Beathard
But people who follow the league closely know just how much of a force Buckner can be. That's why NFL.com's Shaun O'Hara ranked him sixth in a list of the top 10 defensive tackles in football.
"With John Lynch improving the supporting cast, we could be in for a real breakout season from Buckner in 2018," Harrison said.
Cassius Marsh, Jeremiah Attaochu and Eli Harold will have the opportunity to help Buckner boost his sack total this season. San Francisco's lack of consistent pressure off the edge was a major reason for Buckner's 16 near-misses. Solomon Thomas' continued evolution could also help take some of the attention off of Buckner.
If Buckner takes a big step forward, as the team expects him to, he will be a lock for next year's Pro Bowl. His new nickname, "D-POY" (pronounced dee-poy, which refers to the abbreviation for 'Defensive Player of the Year'), suggests that Buckner's teammates have ultimate faith in the third-year defensive lineman.
Aaron Donald, Gerald McCoy, Fletcher Cox, Geno Atkins and Kawann Short are the five players ranked above Buckner. Ndamukong Suh, Damon Harrison, Linval Joseph and Malik Jackson rounded out the top 10.
