Former BYU linebacker Fred Warner has carved an integral role in the San Francisco defense in his second year with the 49ers.
The inside linebacker’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed for NFC-leading San Francisco. EPSN’s Bill Barnwell named Warner one of 24 players to his NFL All-Underrated team after the former Cougar had one of his best performances as a pro, noting that Warner is taking on a bigger role with fellow linebacker Kwon Alexander out for the season with an injury.
“His ascension into one of the league’s rangiest, smartest coverage linebackers in year 2 has been extremely fun to watch; few linebackers fly to the flats to make plays as fast as Warner,” Barnwell wrote.
On Sunday in the 49ers’ 37-8 win over Green Bay — a matchup of two of the top teams in the NFC — Warner started the game with a strip sack of Aaron Rodgers on the Packers’ first drive, leading to San Francisco’s first touchdown on the next play.
He added a game-high 11 tackles and a tackle for loss — it came against former BYU teammate Jamaal Williams, when Warner dropped Williams for a 5-yard loss on a reception.
“Teammates DeForest Buckner and Jaquiski Tartt just narrowly missed this list, but Warner is the next great 49ers inside linebacker,” Barnwell wrote.
Here’s a look at how each of the Utah ties on active NFL rosters performed during the 12th week of the 2019 NFL regular season:
TEXANS 20, COLTS 17
Houston
- No locals on roster
Indianapolis
- No locals on active roster
BUCCANEERS 35, FALCONS 22
Tampa Bay
- Matt Gay, K, Utah and Orem High: Made a 32-yard field goal but missed three of his five point-after attempts while playing six special teams snaps.
Atlanta
- No locals on roster
BILLS 20, BRONCOS 3
Buffalo
- Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Had four solo tackles and a pass deflection while playing 32 defensive snaps and 16 on special teams.
- Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah, Snow College and Bingham High: Started at defensive tackle and sacked Buffalo’s Josh Allen for a 1-yard loss on a second-and-12 play while playing 28 defensive snaps and two on special teams.
Denver
- Garett Bolles, OT, Utah, Snow College and Westlake High: Started at left tackle and played all 50 offensive snaps for the Broncos and one on special teams.
- Devontae Booker, RB, Utah: Had a kickoff return for 11 yards while playing three offensive snaps and eight on special teams.
- Tim Patrick, WR, Utah: Had one reception for 3 yards and was targeted three times while playing 32 offensive snaps.
BEARS 19, GIANTS 14
Chicago
- Patrick Scales, LS, Utah State and Weber High: Had a solo special teams tackle while playing 12 special teams snaps.
New York
- No locals on roster
STEELERS 16, BENGALS 10
Pittsburgh
- No locals on roster
Cincinnati
- Nick Vigil, LB, Utah State and Fremont High: Started at linebacker and had six tackles, including three solo stops, and a quarterback hurry while playing 70 defensive snaps and 11 on special teams.
BROWNS 41, DOLPHINS 24
Cleveland
- Porter Gustin, LB, Salem Hills: Had a 10-yard sack on a second-and-10 play — it was the rookie Gustin’s first sack of his career in his first regular-season game — while playing 25 defensive snaps and two on special teams.
- Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU: Had two tackles, including a solo stop and a tackle on fourth down short of the line to gain, while playing 15 defensive snaps and 18 on special teams.
Miami
- Eric Rowe, S, Utah: Started at safety and had a solo tackle while playing 59 defensive snaps and eight on special teams.
SAINTS 34, PANTHERS 31
New Orleans
- Taysom Hill, QB, BYU: Was targeted once on a pass while playing seven offensive snaps and 25 on special teams.
- Marcus Williams, FS, Utah: Started at free safety and had four tackles, including three solo stops and a tackle for loss on a third-and-1 play, while playing all 76 defensive snaps for the Saints.
Carolina
- Tyler Larsen, OL, Utah State and Jordan High: Played three offensive snaps and six on special teams.
JETS 34, RAIDERS 3
New York
- Harvey Langi, LB, BYU, Utah and Bingham High: Had an assisted special teams tackle while playing 12 special teams snaps.
Oakland
- Andre James, OT, Herriman High: Did not play.
- Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State: Started at cornerback and had three solo tackles while playing 43 defensive snaps and nine on special teams.
- Dallin Leavitt, S, Utah State and BYU: Played 19 special teams snaps.
SEAHAWKS 17, EAGLES 9
Seattle
- Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU: Had a half-sack and forced a fumble on a third-down play, then added a solo sack for a 7-yard loss. He had another strip sack wiped out by a penalty. Ansah added four tackles, including three solo stops, and two quarterback hurries while playing 37 defensive snaps.
- Cody Barton, LB, Utah and Brighton High: Had a solo special teams tackle while playing 18 special teams snaps.
- Marquise Blair, S, Utah: Played one defensive snap and 16 on special teams.
- Bobby Wagner, MLB, Utah State: Started at middle linebacker and had six tackles, including four solo stops, while playing all 76 defensive snaps for the Seahawks and two on special teams.
- John Ursua, WR, Cedar and Westlake High: Not active for game.
Philadelphia
- No locals on active roster
REDSKINS 19, LIONS 16
Washington
- Tony Bergstrom, OL, Utah and Skyline High: Listed as the starter as tight end playing as an eligible receiver lineman while playing 12 offensive snaps and five on special teams.
- Donald Penn, OT, Utah State: Played 44 offensive snaps.
Detroit
- Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah: Played 16 defensive snaps and 26 on special teams.
TITANS 42, JAGUARS 20
Tennessee
- LeShaun Sims, CB, Southern Utah: Had six tackles, including three solo stops and two special teams tackles, while playing 44 defensive snaps and 12 on special teams.
Jacksonville
- No locals on active roster
PATRIOTS 13, COWBOYS 9
New England
- Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Started at linebacker and had five tackles, including four solo stops and a tackle for loss, while playing 55 defensive snaps and three on special teams.
Dallas
- Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham High: Had a kickoff return for 5 yards while playing seven offensive snaps and seven on special teams.
- Xavier Su’a-Filo, OG, Timpview High: Did not play.
49ERS 37, PACKERS 8
San Francisco
- Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Started at Mike linebacker and forced a fumble while sacking Aaron Rodgers on the Packers’ first series, leading to San Francisco’s opening touchdown. He added a game-high 11 solo tackles, including a tackle for loss on former BYU teammate Jamaal Williams, while playing 68 defensive snaps.
- Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Had four punts for 182 yards — a 45.3-yard average — with one punt inside the 20 and a long of 52 while serving as the team’s kickoff specialist and holder in playing 18 special teams snaps.
Green Bay
- Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU: Had a team-high 45 rushing yards on 11 carries, seven receptions for 35 yards and a special teams tackle while playing 39 offensive snaps and 13 on special teams.
- Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State: Had an assisted tackle and a quarterback hurry while playing 19 defensive snaps and eight on special teams.
RAVENS 45, RAMS 6
Baltimore
- No locals on active roster
Los Angeles
- Eric Weddle, FS, Utah: Started at free safety and had nine tackles, including eight solo stops, and a pass deflection while playing all 78 defensive snaps for the Rams.
- JoJo Natson, WR/PR, Utah State: Had one punt return for 4 yards and two kickoff returns for 44 yards — a 22-yard average — while playing 10 special teams snaps.