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NFL Draft: Brayden Willis selected by San Fransisco in 7th round

By Brandon Self

Oklahoma's Brayden Willis (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the UTEP Miners at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.oujournal -- print1
Oklahoma's Brayden Willis (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the UTEP Miners at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.oujournal -- print1 /
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2023 NFL Draft – San Fransisco 49ers – 7th Round

Sooner tight end Brayden Willis can finally exhale. The Sooner tight end has been selected by the San Fransisco 49ers in the 7th and final round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon.
The tight end will join an offense with arguably the best tight end in the NFL in George Kittle.

Willis spent his entire 5-year career in Norman and became a leader of the Sooner football program. During his career, Willis caught 75 receptions for 998 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Following the 2022 season, Willis earned second-team All-Big 12 honors and the Sooner football program’s Don Key Award.

The 49ers run a traditional pro-style offense with 12 personnel packages; Willis should compete for a backup tight end role alongside Cameron Latu. Willis fits in well with the 49er’s offense because of his strongest trait, versatility. Willis is a competent pass catcher and an excellent run blocker. Willis also has an opportunity to compete for playing time as a full-back in the Kyle Shanahan offense.

Willis has a fight ahead of him. 7th-round selections are far from the 53-man roster status, and the 49ers typically carry two tight ends each week. This fits Willis’s personality to a tee. He will walk into the 49ers facility on day one, prepared to work and be a consistent professional, just like he did in Norman over the past five years.

The 2023 NFL Draft is quickly coming to a close. Hopefully, we will see a couple more Sooners hear their name called and begin their NFL journey. Keep in mind that if we don’t, there is still NFL free agency which starts immediately following the draft’s conclusion. If the remaining Sooners don’t hear their names called on the big stage, they will still have an excellent chance to get to an NFL camp this summer as a free agent.

Stay tuned to Stormin’ in Norman over the next week for updates on Sooner free agency signings related to Team 129’s pursuit of their last Big 12 championships.
Congratulations, Brayden; we can’t wait to watch you work out West.

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