The 49ers added to their already strong receiving corps with the 253rd pick in the draft. They selected Michigan wide receiver Ronnie Bell with their penultimate pick, adding some intrigue to the back end of the roster at WR.
San Francisco can lock in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk atop the depth chart. Jauan Jennings will also snag a roster spot. Ray-Ray McCloud also figures to land a spot. Beyond that there’s a question as to what the roster will look like, which is good news for Bell.
Bell bounced back from a torn ACL in 2021 and put together his best college season in 2022. He caught 62 balls for 889 yards and four TDs last year to finish with career-highs across the board.
There isn’t a ton of room for pass catchers in the 49ers’ offense though, so it’s the smaller aspects of the position that could lead to Bell making the team as a rookie. He’s a good blocker and plays with a hard-nosed style that should help him contribute right away on special teams. That blocking ability will be Step 1 to getting on the field on offense.
If he can make an impact as more than just a receiver, he’ll have an inside track to a spot on the back end of the roster. If he doesn’t, he could follow the Jennings path where he spends a year on the practice squad and then carves out a role in the offense in Year 2.
