Ranking Most Important 49ers in 2025: No. 21 is Key Defensive Starter

The San Francisco 49ers need a strong year from Dee Winters in 2025.

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Dee Winters is entering his third year with the San Francisco 49ers and his first year as an unquestioned starter. He is not the most impactful starter on the roster, but something unforeseen would have to happen for him to lose his job. That gets him inside the top 22, but only as high as 21st in our roster ranking. 

Ranking most important 49ers in 2025: No. 21 Dee Winters

The sixth-round pick from TCU went from 62 snaps to 398 last season, including ten starts. Winters subbed in for De’Vondre Campbell late in the season and started the final three games of the year in his place. 

The team did draft Nick Martin in the third round, but he projects to be the SAM linebacker who only plays in certain packages. When the 49ers play in sub-package football, which most teams live in, it will be Winters next to Fred Warner. 

This is obviously a valuable role and he has shown progress from years one to two. If Winters can take another step with the added responsibility on his plate, the team should feel good about where they stand.

Still, this is a player who looked good in a part-time role, but now they are asking him to take on a full workload of snaps. Will he be overwhelmed, struggle, or hit a wall at some point

The 49ers clearly want Winters to have a strong year, but if he does struggle, they will be able to find some ways around him. First, they have Fred Warner, who will cover a lot of his mistakes. More than that, they not only drafted Martin, but they also signed Luke Gifford, who has been a stable depth in the NFL.

San Francisco is hoping Winters can be a trusted starter, but they are not quite sold themselves, which is why he is number 21 on our list.