Fred Warner Drafted by San Francisco 49ers in the Third Round in the NFL Draft

The first BYU Cougar is off the draft board as LB Fred Warner was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers as the 70th pick overall in the third round.

Warner played predominately outside linebacker in both a 3-4 and 4-3 defense at BYU (two seasons in each system), but could play inside linebacker as a pro.

Warner’s versatility is one of his greatest strengths. Considered one of the best coverage linebackers in the draft, Warner played a hybrid nickel role for much of his junior and senior seasons. He finished with 7 picks and 2 touchdowns during his BYU career, including this incredible pick six at Boise State in 2016.

Always durable, Warner didn’t miss a game during his final three seasons. And despite often being in coverage his final two seasons, he was one of BYU’s leading tacklers with over 85 tackles in each of his final two seasons.

His best season rushing the passer and getting in the backfield came as a OLB in BYU’s 3-4 scheme as a sophomore in 2015, when he finished with career highs of 4 sacks and 11.5 TFL.

Congrats to Fred and best of luck as he begins his NFL journey!