Fred Warner has established himself as the premier linebacker in the NFL, and he can further embellish his reputation in 2023 by achieving a feat no player has ever pulled off.

A two-time first-team All-Pro who was rated as the game's best at his position by a recent ESPN poll of people inside the league, Warner has become renowned for his remarkably athletic play in pass coverage.

Such is his ability to match up with tight ends and often even wide receivers, that his efforts in pursuit and finding and bringing down the ball-carrier are often underrated.

But Warner has been extremely prolific as a tackler, registering at least 118 combined tackles in each of his first five seasons. Nine other players have matched him in that regard. However, should he extend that streak in 2023, he will become the first player since the 1970 merger to record 118 tackles in his first six seasons.

Warner has plenty of Hall of Famers for company in the group of players with five straight seasons to their name. That group includes the likes of Ray Lewis, Derrick Brooks and.Zach Thomas.

Potential future Hall of Famers Luke Kuechly and 49ers great Patrick Willis also maintained that pace for their first five seasons.

Willis has long since been regarded as the standard bearer for the 49ers at linebacker after seven seasons of stellar play before his retirement in 2015. 

The debate over whether Willis played long enough to take his place in Canton may rage for some time, yet Warner is on a trajectory to not only surpass him in the ranks of 49er linebackers but cement himself as one of the best to play the game at linebacker.

Should he seal a slice of history, that will go a long way to him eventually being considered alongside Lewis and Co. as one of the NFL's greatest linebackers.

49ers tied with Eagles for most top-10 players in ESPN poll

They’re keeping fitting company at the top.

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