Fred Warner named NFC Defensive player of the month November

It’s been quite the season for the San Francisco 49ers defense. Plenty of players have stepped up and taken their game to the next level. You could argue nobody has meant more to the Niners defense than linebacker(quarterback?) Fred Warner. He gets everyone lined up, makes all the checks, but most importantly, he makes plays. Warner was named the NFC defensive player of the month for November, which was well deserved.

That’s a playmaker. Warner isn’t just making tackles; he’s making run stops. So, tackles around the line of scrimmage. He’s synonymous with being around the ball, as evidenced by the forced fumbles, pass breakups, and sacks. If you’re into this type of thing, he also had the highest PFF grade of any linebacker in the NFL during November at 91.6. He graded as an elite player for the month, but he’s been one all year.

Warner is the only linebacker in the league that has 90 tackles, three sacks, and forced fumbles, as well as six passes defended. He’s a stud, and his future is very bright. The thing that impresses me the most about Warner is that he can excel against any style of offense. A run-heavy offense like Baltimore? No problem, five stops, and when you do throw, he broke up two passes, both on money downs. You want to spread it out like Arizona or Green Bay? Warner is arguably the best coverage linebacker in the game. He gave up seven catches but only for 38 yards. He’s a smart, sound player that has a nose for the football and has developed into a star right before our eyes. The scary part is he’s only getting better.