Sports

49ers Post-Draft Linebacker Depth Chart: Where Former Draft Picks Stand

By Parker Hurley Sports Illustrated

Updated May 13, 2026 9:20 PM

Now that the NFL Draft is over and free agency has mostly been wrapped up it is a good time to look back at the depth charts of each position room to see where the San Francisco 49ers stand. What does the linebacker room look like heading into the summer months?

San Francisco 49ers post-draft linebacker depth chart

Fred Warner

Warner is expected to return from his ankle surgery and be just fine this season. At his age and with the limited injury scares he has had in the past, most expectations are that he will continue to play at a high level.

Dre Greenlaw

The team feels they missed Greenlaw last year and signed him to replace Dee Winters, who they shipped off to Dallas. Greenlaw is better on paper, but was banged up coming off of his Achilles injury last season.

Luke Gifford

Gifford has played the SAM role as the strong linebacker for Robert Saleh. It will be interesting to see if he holds the same role.

Tatum Bethune

Bethune stepped in for Warner last year and has the most play-calling experience on the roster aside from Warner. If Warner went down again, they would likely go right back to Bethune.

Nick Martin

Martin is a former third-round pick, but he is going to be on the edge of making the roster. He was up and down on special teams, he struggled to show anything on defense, and he got hurt to end his year. The 49ers are deeper in this room than most, and by adding Greenlaw, they admitted that he is not close to seeing the field.

Jaden Dugger

The 49ers drafted Dugger in round 5. For his rookie season the thought should be to make the roster on special teams. At his size and speed, and ability to attack downhill, he could eventually get some SAM snaps, stepping in for Gifford. This would give him value that not many others on the roster possess.

Garrett Wallow

Wallow was signed late into last season but thrived. He is strong on special teams and started a playoff game for the 49ers last year. He could push for a roster spot.

Jalen Graham

Graham has been with the team since 2023, but has only been on the active roster for 17 games. With a defensive shift and a deeper room than most years, there is a question as to whether he even sticks on the practice squad.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as 49ers Post-Draft Linebacker Depth Chart: Where Former Draft Picks Stand.

This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 9:00 PM.