The Titans franchise QB has led Tennessee to an 8-5 record as the team aims to end a nine-year playoff drought.

Buckner has come into his own, already establishing himself as one of the NFL's more dominant interior defensive lineman in just his second season.

San Francisco grabbed its third win of the season in Week 14 over the Houston Texans and Buckner registered seven combined pressures, including two knockdowns and a sack.

Often a target of double teams, Buckner has still managed 48 tackles, three passes defended, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 2017. While those numbers don't jump off of the page, advanced metrics show that Buckner is still one of the most disruptive players in the NFL. According to Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus, Buckner ranks sixth among interior defenders with 43 pressures and first in quarterback hits with 17.

Sunday's matchup against Mariota will give Buckner a prime opportunity to build on his solid sophomore campaign. Buckner knows full well what Mariota is capable of as a dual-threat quarterback. Mariota's five rushing touchdowns this season are tied for the most of any NFL QB.

If anyone can recognize what kind of threat Mariota poses, it's Buckner's history of ties with the Hawaiian native. The young quarterback who once rushed 60 times for 455 yards and seven touchdowns in high school still remains a challenge for Buckner and the 49ers defense.