Defensive Player of the Year: DeForest Buckner
If not for injuries, this award may have gone to rookie linebacker Reuben Foster. But no player on the 49ers’ defense was more consistent in 2017 than DeForest Buckner. He was not named to the Pro Bowl and did not receive an All-Pro vote which, when you look at the raw sack numbers, is not all that surprising.
Buckner had only three sacks in 2017, half the total he racked up in his rookie year, but it was not for lack of trying.
#49ers season ending tidbit courtesy of @PFF:
— Mindi Bach (@MBachSports) January 2, 2018
DeForest Buckner finished 6th out of 124 qualifying interior defenders with an overall grade of 90.4. His 52 QB pressures ranked 5th.
Indeed, Buckner did a magnificent job of generating disruption on the interior, amassing 52 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, a total owing largely to his tremendous first step and an ability to dominate one-on-one with a variety of pass-rush moves.
Had more of those pressures turned into sacks, Buckner may well have received some national recognition. However, should he continue to perform in this fashion for a winning 49ers team, then that recognition will eventually be forthcoming.