Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw have endeared themselves to 49ers fans with their inspired play over the last five seasons, but the admiration for the dynamic linebacker duo extends well beyond just The Faithful.
In an anonymous poll of NFL executives, scouts and coaches conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Warner and Greenlaw both earned the distinguished honor of being ranked among the league's 10 best linebackers.
Coming off back-to-back First-Team All-Pro campaigns, Warner polled as the NFL's No. 1 linebacker in Fowler's survey, an incredible, but not surprising accomplishment given the way the 27-year-old has performed on the gridiron throughout his career.
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While Warner's athleticism is impressive in its own right, an NFL coordinator highlighted the star linebacker's mental ability as the trait that separates him into a tier of his own.
"He's like an elite quarterback in terms of managing the game," the NFL coordinator told Fowler. "Checks, adjustments, unbelievable awareness and instincts. He allows the other 10 people around him to function at a high level collectively because of what he's able to do mentally."
In addition to being among the most skilled linebackers in the sport, Warner's best ability might just be his availability, missing just one game due to injury during his six-year NFL career.
While Greenlaw isn't viewed in the same tier as Warner, he still received plenty of praise, landing the No. 9 spot in Fowler's anonymous survey.
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A handful of voters shied away from Greenlaw following his brutal Achilles injury in Super Bowl LVIII, but his dominant play was enough to earn the necessary praise to land a top-10 spot on the list.
"He has instincts in the run game, slipping blocks, knowing when he has to get over the top or anticipate the cut," an NFL coordinator told Fowler. "Top 5-7 in the game in play-action pass recognition."
As San Francisco begins the arduous climb back toward a Super Bowl appearance, the continued excellence of Warner and Greenlaw will play a major role in the 49ers' quest to capture a sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy that has slipped out of the franchise's grasp twice in the last five seasons.
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