The NFL’s 11 best off-ball linebackers

Schematically, the NFL is changing. But the linebacker position is adapting. Here are some of the best in the game today.

6. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers

(Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)

If we’re buying futures on players, Fred Warner is where I am placing a huge investment.

Coming out of BYU, Warner was a difficult evaluation during his draft process. He played primarily as an overhang defender for the Cougars, spending the bulk of his time out in the slot or in space. That, coupled with the “undersized” flag on his scouting profiles, caused many to wonder if there was a role for him in the modern NFL. That saw him slip to the third round of the draft.

Well, as he displayed the past few seasons, there certainly is a role for him. Last season Warner spent the bulk of his time in the box, logging 1,070 snaps down near the line of scrimmage, and all over that area of the field for Robert Saleh’s defense. He saw 156 snaps at middle linebacker, 574 snaps at one of the inside linebacker spots (left inside linebacker or right inside linebacker) and 330 snaps at one of the two linebacker spots in a 4-2-5 defense.

What can he do from those spots? Well, almost anything you ask. Here he reads the eyes of Jared Goff and breaks on a checkdown, turning it into a pick six:

This video package highlights all the things he brings to the table, from sideline-to-sideline ability against the run to his coverage skills in space:

When breaking down the top safeties in the league, flexibility and versatility was a big component. In the modern NFL defenses have to be able to adjust on the fly to what an offense is doing, and hybrid defenders play a big role. Warner, like Littleton before him, might be the prototype for the next wave of NFL linebackers.

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