Fred Warner is voted the top off-ball linebacker in the NFL by AP writers

Whether it’s stopping the run game, dropping into pass coverage or even rushing the quarterback, Fred Warner thrives for the San Francisco 49ers.

Warner’s strong all-around play for San Francisco helped him win the honor of being voted the top off-ball linebacker in the league by The Associated Press.

A panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at off-ball linebacker, basing selections on current status entering the 2025 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Warner got seven of the eight first-place votes to go with one second to win the voting easily. Three other players were selected on all eight ballots, with Baltimore’s Roquan Smith getting the other first-place vote to come in second, Philadelphia’s Zack Baun finishing third and Washington’s Bobby Wagner coming in fourth.

Indianapolis’ Zaire Franklin rounded out the top five.

New Orleans’ Demario Davis, Denver’s Dre Greenlaw, Minnesota’s Blake Cashman and Pittsburgh’s Patrick Queen also received votes.

1. FRED WARNER, San Francisco 49ers

Despite playing most of last season with a broken bone in his ankle, Warner still performed at a high level and earned his third straight and fourth overall first-team All-Pro honor. Warner had 131 tackles, five tackles for loss, two interceptions, seven passes defensed and four forced fumbles last season. Warner has 10 sacks, 10 interceptions, 15 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, 36 tackles for loss and 53 passes defensed in his first seven seasons.

He is one of three active players with at least 10 sacks, interceptions and forced fumbles, along with Minnesota safety Harrison Smith and Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David.

2. ROQUAN SMITH, Baltimore Ravens

The midseason trade in 2022 that sent Smith from Chicago to Baltimore helped lift the Ravens’ defense by solidifying the middle of the field. In 41 games with Baltimore, Smith has 398 tackles, five sacks, three interceptions and 15 passes defensed as he has earned first-team All-Pro honors the past three seasons.

3. ZACK BAUN, Philadelphia Eagles

After struggling to get on the field on defense as an edge rusher his first four seasons in New Orleans, Baun was a revelation at linebacker in his first year with the Eagles. He had 151 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks and one interception in the regular season and also had a pick against Patrick Mahomes in the Eagles’ Super Bowl win. Baun earned All-Pro honors, finished fifth in voting for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award and cashed in with a three-year, $51 million deal in the offseason.

4. BOBBY WAGNER, Washington Commanders

Coach Dan Quinn brought his former linebacker from Seattle to Washington in his first season as coach of the Commanders for veteran leadership. Wagner, who turned 35 last month, showed he can still perform at a high level. Wagner had his 13th straight season with at least 100 tackles and earned his fifth second-team All-Pro selection to go along with six first-team picks. Only Reggie White (13) and Jim Otto (12) have been picked as a first or second-team All-Pro more than Wagner.

5. ZAIRE FRANKLIN, Indianapolis Colts

Franklin led the NFL with 173 tackles last season, becoming the second player since at least 2000 with three straight seasons with at least 165 tackles. His 518 tackles in three seasons since becoming a full-time starter in 2022 are the most in the NFL in that span.

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