Fred Warner is the NFL’s best off-ball linebacker for another year, according to ESPN’s survey of league executives, coaches and scouts published Tuesday. The San Francisco 49ers star drew roughly 70% of first-place votes despite an ankle injury that limited him to six games in 2025, and he and Philadelphia’s Zack Baun were the only linebackers named on every ballot. Warner’s four All-Pro selections since 2020 trail only Myles Garrett’s five among all defenders. “He diagnoses faster than anyone,” one NFL coordinator told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Fred Warner Ranked NFL’s No. 1 Off-Ball Linebacker in ESPN’s 2026 Survey
Warner topped ESPN’s rankings of off-ball linebackers with roughly 70% of first-place votes, even after an ankle injury limited him to six games in 2025.
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