Dre Greenlaw

Ke'Aundre J'Quan "Dre" Greenlaw (born May 25, 1997) is an American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arkansas and was drafted by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Early years
Greenlaw grew up in group homes and shelters in Arkansas since he was eight years old. At the age of 14, Greenlaw met Brian Early, defensive coach for Fayetteville High School. The Early family invited him to live with them and formally adopted Greenlaw at age 21.

Greenlaw attended Fayetteville Public Schools, playing for a Fayetteville High School football team that won the Class 7A 2011 state championship. He was named to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette preseason "Super Sophomore" team in 2012. Greenlaw started at cornerback, recording 53 total tackles, two forced fumbles, five pass deflections, and an interception on a team that repeated as 7A state champions. As a junior, Greenlaw moved to strong safety. He was considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com.

College career
Greenlaw played college football under head coaches Bret Bielema and Chad Morris at Arkansas. Greenlaw finished his collegiate career with 321 tackles, four sacks, three interceptions, three pass deflections, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.

2019 season
Greenlaw was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was drafted after the 49ers traded linebacker Dekoda Watson to acquire the 148th pick.

Greenlaw made his NFL debut in the season-opening 31–17 road victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recording four tackles. During a Week 9 28–25 road victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football, he had four tackles and his first NFL sack on Kyler Murray. In the next game against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, Greenlaw recorded eight tackles, a pass deflection, and his first NFL interception off of Russell Wilson during the 27–24 overtime loss. The following week against the Cardinals, Greenlaw had 10 tackles in the 36–26 victory.

During a narrow Week 14 48–46 road victory over the New Orleans Saints, Greenlaw recorded seven tackles and a pass deflection. Two weeks later against Los Angeles Rams, he had a team-high 13 tackles in the 34–31 victory. In the regular-season finale against the Seahawks on NBC Sunday Night Football, Greenlaw once again recorded a team-high 13 tackles and made a critical stop on tight end Jacob Hollister inside of the one-yard line on the final play of the drive, sealing a 26–21 road victory and securing the first seed for the 49ers in the 2019 playoffs. Greenlaw credited review from the 49ers' Week 15 29–22 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, which ended in a similar scenario where wide receiver Julio Jones was barely able to break the plane into the endzone, for giving him the correct technique to hit Hollister high.

Greenlaw finished his rookie season with 92 tackles, two pass deflections, a sack, and an interception in 16 games and 11 starts. He was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team. The 49ers finished atop the NFC West with a 13–3 record and the #1-seed in the playoffs. During the Divisional Round against the Minnesota Vikings, Greenlaw recorded four tackles and a forced fumble in the 27–10 victory. In the NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers, he had six tackles during the 37–20 victory. During Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs, Greenlaw recorded four tackles in the 31–20 loss.

2020 season
During the season-opening 24–20 loss to the Cardinals, Greenlaw recorded five tackles and a pass deflection. During a Week 6 24–16 victory over the Rams, he had a team-high eight tackles. In the next game against the New England Patriots, Greenlaw recorded six tackles and his first sack of the season on Cam Newton during the 33–6 road victory. During a Week 10 27–13 road loss to the Saints, Greenlaw recorded a team-high 11 tackles. Two weeks later against the Rams, he had a team-high seven tackles (tied with Richard Sherman). During a Week 14 23–15 loss to the Washington Football Team, Greenlaw recorded a team-high seven tackles (tied with Jimmie Ward).

Greenlaw finished his second professional season with 86 tackles, a pass deflection, and a sack in 13 games and 11 starts.

2021 season
During the season-opening 41–33 road victory over the Detroit Lions, Greenlaw recorded six tackles, a pass deflection, and his first NFL touchdown on a pick six off of Jared Goff. On September 18, 2021, Greenlaw was placed on injured reserve after undergoing groin surgery. He was activated on November 27. In the regular-season finale against the Rams, Greenlaw had a team-high 12 tackles during the 27–24 overtime road victory.

Greenlaw finished the 2021 season with 21 tackles, a pass deflection, and a pick-six in three games and two starts. The 49ers finished the season with a 10–7 record and earned the #7-seed in the playoffs. During the Wild Card Round against the Dallas Cowboys, Greenlaw recorded five tackles in the 23–17 road victory. In the Divisional Round against the Packers, he had six tackles and a fumble recovery during the 13–10 road victory. During the NFC Championship Game against the Rams, Greenlaw recorded three tackles in the 20–17 road loss.

2022 season
On September 18, 2022, Greenlaw recorded a team-high eight tackles during a Week 2 27–7 victory over the Seahawks. The next day, he signed a two-year extension with the 49ers.

During a narrow Week 3 11–10 road loss to the Denver Broncos, Greenlaw recorded a team-high 10 tackles. In the next game against the Rams on Monday Night Football, he had a team-high 15 tackles during the 24–9 road victory. The following week against the Carolina Panthers, Greenlaw recorded a team-high 11 tackles in the 37–15 road victory.

During a Week 10 22–16 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, Greenlaw recorded a team-high seven tackles before being ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert near the end of the second quarter. Greenlaw was later fined $10,609 for the hit. In the next game against the Cardinals in Mexico on Monday Night Football, he had nine tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery during the 38–10 victory. Two weeks later against the Miami Dolphins, he recorded a team-high eight tackles, a pass deflection, and recovered a Tua Tagovailoa fumble forced by Nick Bosa and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown to secure a 33–17 victory for the 49ers. During a Week 14 35–7 victory over the Buccaneers, Greenlaw had a team-high 15 tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception off of Tom Brady. In the next game against the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football, Greenlaw recorded eight tackles, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble during the 21–13 road victory.

The 49ers finished atop the NFC West with a 13–4 record and qualified for the playoffs. Greenlaw finished the 2022 season with a career-high 127 tackles, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, an interception, and a defensive touchdown in 15 games and starts. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks in the Wild Card Round by a score of 41–23 behind a strong performance by Greenlaw, who recorded a team-high 11 tackles. In the Divisional Round against the Cowboys, he had six tackles and a pass deflection during the 19–12 victory. During the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Greenlaw recorded nine tackles in the 31–7 road loss. He was ranked 79th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.

2023 season
During a Week 2 30–23 road victory over the Rams, Greenlaw recorded a team-high 11 tackles (tied with Fred Warner) and a pass deflection. Two weeks later against the Cardinals, he had a team-high 10 tackles (tied with Warner) in the 35–16 victory. In the next game against the Cowboys on NBC Sunday Night Football, Greenlaw recorded five tackles, a pass deflection, and his first sack of the season on Dak Prescott during the 42–10 blowout victory. However, Greenlaw missed the following week's game against the Cleveland Browns after suffering a hamstring injury in practice earlier in the week. He returned in time for the Week 7 matchup against the Vikings and recorded 10 tackles during the 22–17 road loss on Monday Night Football.

During a Week 10 34–3 blowout road victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Greenlaw had a team-high eight tackles (tied with Talanoa Hufanga). In the next game against the Buccaneers, he recorded eight tackles, two pass deflections, and 0.5 sacks during the 27–14 victory. The following week against the Seahawks on Thanksgiving, Greenlaw had a team-high eight tackles in the 31–13 victory. During a Week 13 42–19 road victory over the Eagles, he recorded a team-high seven tackles (tied with Ambry Thomas). Three weeks later against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football, Greenlaw recorded a team-high 12 tackles in the 33–19 loss. In the next game against the Washington Commanders, he had a team-high 10 tackles during the 27–10 road victory.

Greenlaw finished the 2023 season with 120 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and four pass deflections in 15 games and starts. In the Divisional Round against the Packers, Greenlaw recorded eight tackles, two pass deflections, and two interceptions during the 24–21 victory. During the NFC Championship Game against the Lions, he had seven tackles in the 34–31 comeback victory. In Super Bowl LVIII against the Chiefs, Greenlaw left the eventual 25–22 overtime loss in the second quarter after suffering a left leg injury when he fell over after coming off the sideline. The next day, it was revealed that Greenlaw tore his Achilles. Prior to the tear, Greenlaw missed the regular season finale as his Achilles was beleaguered with an infection, but Greenlaw stated that he would still play through it on a part-time basis when the 49ers ventured through the playoffs. Greenlaw later had successful surgery on his torn Achilles.