Believe it or not, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Mark Nzeocha was nearly a Pro Bowler after his 2018 efforts.
If you’re not overly familiar with Nzeocha, it’s OK. He was a finalist for the NFC squad, thanks largely to a hefty amount of votes for his efforts on special teams, many of which came from Europe, as Nzeocha was born in Germany.
True, special teamers don’t always get a lot of love. But the Niners ended up liking Nzeocha for more than just his special teams contributions. By the end of the season, Nzeocha was San Francisco’s starting strong-side (SAM) linebacker, finishing the year with three starts under his belt and even one sack.