Locals in the NFL: BYU grad Fred Warner's pick has injury-bit 49ers feeling good with win over Patriots

AROUND THE SHIELD — It's no secret that the San Francisco 49ers have been banged up, especially defensively, through the first half of the NFL's 2020 season.

Among the injuries is recently signed pass rusher Ziggy Ansah, a BYU grad who was placed on injured reserve with a torn bicep after just two games with the Niners.

But one player San Francisco still has is fellow BYU alum Fred Warner.

Good thing.

Warner had a team-best seven tackles, a pass breakup and an interception in the 49ers' 33-6 win over the Patriots on Sunday, moving San Francisco above .500 with a 4-3 record.

And while to outsiders it may seem like the injuries are too much, Warner and the rest of the healthy Niners are just trying to block out "the noise."

"I feel like all that noise outside the building is irrelevant, especially to our group," Warner told reporters after the club's latest win. "We know exactly what we are capable of, and we're just going to work every single day and every single week to get better. We're not worried about that outside noise at all."

Still, the injury news has been. But adversity breeds competition, and Warner, who played 41 defensive snaps or 79% of his team's total against New England despite the comfortable lead, is aware that his younger teammates are gaining valuable experience.

"You've got to give credit to all the guys stepping up," he said. "Our guys who have still been in the lineup take great pride being out there, in keeping the defense steady. I can't say enough good things about how good our front is playing with guys down."

His work isn't going unnoticed, either. Warner's 57 tackles ranks among the top-15 in the NFL, and his second interception of the year put him in the league's top 10 for takeaways in the season stat category — a pair of rankings that, perhaps, puts him in the conversation for NFL defensive player of the year, at least for the first half of the season. His teammates have even jokingly begun calling him "All-Pro Fred," a nickname that is catching on through the team's official social media channels.

That's not important to Warner. What is important is that the Niners have back-to-back wins since a 43-17 loss to Miami in Week 5 — wins in which the 49ers held their two opponents to a combined 22 points.

"We know what we're capable of," Warner said of his team's play since the loss to the Dolphins. "That wasn't who we were that week. We've put back-to-back performances where we played dominant defense, and we've just got to stay humble and put our nose to the grindstone once again."

Former Utah punter Mitch Wishnowsky punted just one time for 45 yards in the Niners' win.

Here's how other former local high school and college standouts fared in Week 7 of the NFL's 2020 season.

Detroit 23, Atlanta 22

Utah grad John Penisini had two tackles on 35 tackles in the Lions' win over the Falcons to improve to 3-3.

Cleveland 37, Cincinnati 34

Former BYU star Sione Takitaki had three tackles as the Browns won the Battle for Ohio to improve to 5-2 on the year.

Takitaki played just 12 defensive snaps (16%), but added 22 on special teams for the Browns, while former Salem Hills quarterback Porter Gustin notched a tackle on just three defensive snaps.

Former Southern Utah standout LeShaun Sims started at cornerback, played all 52 defensive snaps, and notched two tackles for the Bengals (1-5-1).

Green Bay 35, Houston 20

BYU all-time leading rusher Jamaal Williams posted a season-high 114 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in the Packers' win over the Texans.

Williams, the starting running back who played 55 snaps on offense and two more on special teams, ran for 77 yards on 19 carries, including a 1-yard TD jaunt in the fourth quarter that gave the Packers (5-1) a 35-13 lead.

He also caught four passes for 37 yards, averaging 4.96 yards per touch in his most productive game of the season.

New Orleans 27, Carolina 24

Former Utah safety Marcus Williams tied for the team-high with six tackles as the Saints held off the Panthers to move to 4-2.

Former BYU quarterback Taysom Hill started at wide receiver, ran for six yards and completed a pass for no gain, and played 10 snaps at quarterback while adding one special-teams snap.

Buffalo 18, NY Jets 10

Former Utah running back Zack Moss ran for 47 yards on seven carries to lead the Bills by the winless Jets.

Moss, who played on 47% of snaps, also caught three passes for 25 yards for Buffalo (5-2), which got two tackles and a pass breakup from starting defensive back and former Weber State standout Taron Johnson while playing on 84% of the Bills' defensive snaps.

American Fork grad Jordan Devey played two snaps off the bench at center for the Bills.

Former BYU linebacker Harvey Langi played 21 special-teams snaps for the Jets (0-7).

Washington 25, Dallas 3

Utah grad Jared Norris played 15 snaps on special teams, and Highland High alum added 13 special-teams snaps to help the Football Team improve to 2-5 with a win over the Cowboys.

Bingham High alum Dalton Schultz started at tight end and caught two passes for 22 yards for Dallas (2-5), but was also tackled in the end zone for a safety in the first quarter.

Schultz, who played collegiately at Stanford, played 80% of offensive snaps, or 45 total, while former Herriman High and Utah linebacker Francis Bernard added 15 snaps on special teams for the Cowboys.

LA Chargers 39, Jacksonville 29

Former BYU standout Michael Davis started at cornerback and made one tackle while playing all 63 defensive snaps in the Chargers' win over the Jaguars.

Former Utah lineman Sam Tevi played all 81 snaps at left tackle for Los Angeles (2-4), and former Utah State standout Nick Vigil played 22 snaps on special teams with a tackle.

Tampa Bay 45, Las Vegas 20

Former Utah running back Devontae Booker ran for five yards and caught two passes for nine yards in the Raiders' loss to the Buccaneers.

Booker played on just 23% of offensive snaps for Las Vegas (3-3), while adding eight special-teams snaps (26%).

Utah State grad Nevin Lawson had six tackles and a pass breakup while playing all 72 snaps for the Raiders, while fellow Aggie alum Dallin Leavitt added 19 snaps on special teams.

UCLA product Andre James, who prepped at Herriman, play four snaps on special teams for Las Vegas.

Kansas City 43, Denver 16

Former BYU safety Daniel Sorensen had another interception, but took this one 50 yards for a touchdown in the Chiefs' rout of the Broncos.

The tenured NFL defensive back also had nine tackles and a pass breakup while playing 49 snaps on defense and 13 on special teams as the defending Super Bowl champs improved to 6-1.

Layton High product Marcus Kemp caught one pass for 11 yards while playing 10 offensive snaps and 19 on special teams for Kansas City.

Former Utah receiver Tim Patrick caught three passes for 44 yards while playing 51 offensive snaps for the Broncos (2-4), and Westlake High grad Garret Bolles played all 77 snaps at left tackle for Denver.

Arizona 37, Seattle 34

Utah grad Leki Fotu had three tackles to help the Cardinals stun the Seahawks.

The Herriman High product played 49 defensive snaps and added 14 on special teams for Arizona (5-2), which got a quarterback hurry from Utah's Kylie Fitts, who played 25 snaps at linebacker and six more on special teams.

Former Utah State middle linebacker Bobby Wagner had a team-high 11 tackles for the Seahawks (5-1), and Brighton High alum Cody Barton made one tackle on 17 special-teams snaps.

Highland High product Bryan Mone, who played at Michigan made one tackle while playing 23 snaps at nose guard for Seattle.

Monday Night Football

LA Rams 24, Chicago 10

Terrell Burgess made three tackles before being carted off the field with a serious leg injury in the Rams' win over the Bears.

The rookie from Utah also had two tackles on special teams for the Rams (5-2), but bent over backward on his left leg while trying to tackle Bears running back David Montgomery. Burgess was taken from the field with his left leg in an air cast by LA's medical staff.

Former Utah safety Jaylon Johnson started and had two tackles and a pass breakup, while Utah State and Weber High alum Patrick Scales played seven snaps at long snapper for the Bears (5-2).

Thursday Night Football

Philadelphia 22, NY Giants 21

Former Weber State All-American Sua Opeta had his first career start a left guard in the Eagles' come-from-behind win over the Giants.

Opera, who prepped at Stansbury High, played all 81 offensive snaps for the Eagles (2-4-1) with two holding penalties — though one of them was declined. He also played three snaps on special teams.

Former Utah State standout Kyler Fackrell made three tackles and a quarterback hurry while playing 90% of snaps (73) for the Giants (1-6).

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