On draft night, the San Francisco 49ers drafted wide receiver Ronnie Bell in the seventh round. At the time, the team's wide receiver room was fully loaded with Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud, Danny Gray, and others. Since then, the 49ers have added more receivers to their core, making joining this roster even more difficult.
Since training camp, rookie receiver Ronnie Bell has been stacking days. Battling for a spot with veterans and undrafted players, Bell used competition as motivation. With the completion of training camp and the team currently playing in the preseason, he has not only flashed as a primetime player but also continues to stand out.
The 49ers' receiver room has been struck with injuries. McCloud is recovering from a broken left wrist. Gray is dealing with a right SC joint sprain. Both receivers could be out for some time.
Bell saw an opportunity with the injury to McCloud, and in the first preseason matchup against the Raiders, to return punts and kickoffs. He had 57 return yards on three kickoff returns, averaging 19 yards per return. Bell was the leading receiver against the Raiders, with three receptions on six targets for 58 yards. To cap off his performance in Week 1 of the preseason, he got going with his only run out of the backfield for 15 yards.
In game two against the Denver Broncos, Bell took his gameplay to another level. He was the leading receiver for the second straight week. Bell caught seven passes on nine targets for 114 yards. He returned the kickoff once for 25 yards, and he returned a punt for 28 yards. Once again, Bell seized the moment and took advantage of his opportunities.
By no means is Bell perfect. In each game, he had a pass deflected for an interception and a fumble. Bell stated in his post-game interview that Deebo Samuel has been like a big brother to him, and he's been in his pocket to push him to keep going.
During Deebo's presser after practice, he stated, "First, it starts with run blocking, and he was struggling with that at first, so Brandon was on him hard about that. Once he got that, his reps went up. It shows that he is a real-life gamer."
Bell was drafted as an underdog and had a slither of a chance to make this roster. With hard work, dedication, and a commitment to improving, Bell has gone from the underdog to a well-respected dog in the clubhouse. The 49ers have a type at the wide receiver position, and Bell has no problems fitting in. If he continues to trend up, the 49ers may have the most arduous wide-receiving corps in the NFL.
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