Provo • BYU linebacker Fred Warner became the first local player selected in the 2018 NFL draft on Friday night.
The San Francisco 49ers picked Warner with the sixth pick in the third round, No. 70 overall, as the draft continued in Arlington, Texas, with the second and third rounds.
Warner, 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds, will stay in his home state of California. He grew up in San Marcos, Calif., near San Diego, and will likely play inside linebacker for San Francisco after playing on the outside in a three-year starting career at BYU.
Warner grew up a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, but said at BYU’s Pro Day that he would be excited to play for any team that saw him as a valuable piece to their future.