Ten NFL players ready to emerge as superstars

DeForest Buckner, defensive line, San Francisco 49ers

Defensive linemen don’t necessarily get a ton of press, but their importance really can’t be understated. The idea of putting pressure on the quarterback from the EDGE or interior of the defensive line has taken on a whole new meaning in today’s pass-first league. This is where Buckner can be extremely valuable to the rebuilding 49ers moving forward.

At 6-foot-7 and 291 pounds, Buckner is a mountain of a man. He also has a ridiculous first step off the line off scrimmage. This was evident during the former first-round pick’s rookie season when he tallied 73 tackles and a team-best six sacks.

Now likely tasked with playing multiple positions in Robert Saleh’s hybrid front, we can expect San Francisco to move Buckner around a whole lot here. He will play defensive end in base downs, move inside on passing downs and could be asked to play the LEO position that was made popular by Saleh’s former Seahawks team.

It would not be an absolute shock to see Buckner double his sack total this upcoming season. That’s only magnified by the fact that San Francisco exists in an NFC West with two of the five worst offensive lines in the NFL. Coming off a darn good rookie season, Buckner is set for stardom in this new defense.