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When the San Francisco 49ers selected Brayden Willis with the 247th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, he was announced as a tight end, but the Oklahoma product did so much more during his time with the Sooners, from fullback to H-back, special teams ace, and even wildcat quarterback, as Todd McShay humorously pointed out during his pick breakdown on ESPN.
“Yeah, a versatile player, can play fullback, can play tight end. He also played a little wildcat quarterback just in case the 49ers run out of those again in the NFC Championship game. Now their bases are covered,” McShay joked. “Kyle Juszczyk is only getting older, and Willis is a similar type of player, a very good receiver out the backfield, a very comfortable runner as well, you can get the ball in his hands in the backfield, a good move blocker, works very very well in space, someone that has that mentality to be a blocker. He’s not gonna be afraid of contact, oh and he’ll go catch the ball on a fade route as well guys.
“So truly, somebody that brings the four-to-five traits you need to make it in the NFL as a fullback, he has all those skills to help on special teams. The Niners one of the few teams that starts a fullback. Brayden Willis goes to the right spot.”
With the NFL having not yet approved a proposed rule change to allow teams to keep a third quarterback active on gamedays as of March 28th, having a player like Willis who can toss the ball around every now and then had to be a mark in his favor during the talent evaluation process. With Juszczyk set to enter his 11th professional season, Willis has all of the tools to play a utility role as a rookie and potentially specialize his time when number 44 hangs up his cleats.
Cameron Latu is Already Familiar With the 49ers’ Scheme
Discussing what he expects from the 49ers’ offense after being selected in the third round, the 49ers’ other drafted tight end, Cameron Latu, told reporters that he’s very familiar with Shanahan’s scheme because his college team, Alabama, borrowed heavily from it.
“I watched a lot of their tape. A lot of the stuff we did at Alabama we stole from the 49ers because their run game package is pretty phenomenal,” Latu said via 49ers Webzone. “The key factors of George Kittle’s blocking and his technique, I learned a lot from him in that part of the game. Then you go to the passing game and he does the same thing just as well. YAC, after the catch, I just know they really use the tight end heavy and I’m excited to go learn under that offense.”
If Latu is already familiar with the 49ers’ unique running scheme, it should serve him well, as the 49ers now have four tight ends under contract and have a notable opening behind Kittle at TE 2.
Brayden Willis Checks Boxes for the San Francisco 49ers
Taking part in an interview with Lindsey Pallares to help get 49ers fans familiar with their favorite team’s new draftees, Willis told Willis that General Manager John Lynch described him as versatile, athletic, and cerebral. Asked how he would describe himself, Willis largely agreed with his new boss’ assessment.
“I think he nailed it on the head,” Willis said. “I think I’m a versatile guy, I can play all types of positions, and I can be a mismatch at different positions. I think I’m a smart guy, I can move around and learn all different types of positions on offense, and, you know, I’m tough, I’m a tough guy, and I think that’s what they value here.”
With only 53 spots on the main roster, the 49ers will have some tough choices to make at the bottom of the depth chart. Players like Willis, who can fill multiple spots across the depth chart and can contribute on special teams, therefore, have a competitive advantage. No wonder Lynch complimented his abilities during his post-draft press conference.
