For the second consecutive season, several members of the San Francisco 49ers defense are working out with Seattle Seahawks star pass-rusher Michael Bennett. DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead, Ronald Blair III and Eli Harold were among the group of NFL players training with Bennett in Hawaii.

Bennett had lofty praise for Buckner in particular, forecasting that big things are in store for San Francisco's 2016 first-round pick.

"I'm lucky to be working with a guy like that," Bennett told KHON News 2 in Oahu. "I think DeForest will eventually be the defensive player of the year. I think he has the talent to be able to do that. His physique – there's nobody like him. He's not normal. His body, his physique and his speed are not normal. When you're not normal, you can do not normal things. Winning defensive MVP is not normal for most people." 

Buckner, who posted 73 tackles and six sacks as a rookie, was humbled by the comments of the two-time Pro Bowler.

"That gives me a lot of confidence," Buckner said. "Having a guy like him say that I can be a potential MVP means a lot. It makes me want to grind harder."

Buckner and Bennett are both Oahu natives and are back home mixing summer vacation with continued workouts to prepare for the 2017 season. This is the second straight summer that Buckner and his teammates have spent an extended period in Hawaii during the offseason.

There will be plenty of time for rest and relaxation during the trip, but not until their work gets done each day. Fourth of July weekend was no exception.

"Just because it's a holiday doesn't mean we can take a day off," Buckner said. "We are all out here trying to get better.

"(Bennett) is an All-Pro," Buckner said. "He's a Super Bowl champ. He's out here working on a holiday, and so we've got to be out here, too."

Buckner and the rest of his teammates will report for training camp at the SAP Performance Facility on July 27.