Time for Dwelley to stop doubting
49ers’ tight end ‘lightyears ahead’ of rookie season
Ross Dwelley didn’t know whether he could play college football, but the tight end received a scholarship offer from the University of San Diego two months after his senior season.
“I guess you could call it a surprise,” Dwelley said, “because I wasn’t even thinking about that.”
And Dwelley had serious doubts about his ability to play in the NFL, but pro scouts began arriving on campus after his junior season.
“It was actually like ‘Whoa, I’m really getting noticed by the NFL,’ ” Dwelley said. “‘I think this could actually happen.’ ”
And — yes, you guessed it — Dwelley wasn’t sure he could stick beyond training camp last year after he signed with the 49ers as an undrafted rookie free agent.
However, Dwelley played in 11 games in 2018. And what
head coach Kyle Shanahan said after Tuesday’s practice suggests Dwelley has an excellent chance to serve as the No. 2 tight end behind George Kittle in his second season.
“He’s a legit NFL player,” Shanahan said. “And he’s going to help us.”
At this point, perhaps Dwelley should stop being surprised?
The 49ers drafted Stanford’s Kaden Smith in the sixth round and signed sixyear veteran Levine Toilolo (another Stanford alum) this offseason, but Dwelley has been their most impressive backup tight end in training camp.
His emergence is important because the 49ers are seeking a reliable backup with Garrett Celek, their longtime backup, expected to be sidelined for at least the first six regularseason games after undergoing back surgery.
Dwelley wasn’t ready to fill the role last year. On Tuesday, Shanahan acknowledged Dwelley was on the “outside looking in” when he arrived in Santa Clara after playing at USD, a college that has produced six other NFL players. Dwelley quickly realized he was no longer facing Pioneer League foes Morehead State and Marist.
“Through (offseason practices) last year, it was kind of a slap in the face,” Dwelley said. “It is a lot faster and guys are a lot stronger than at San Diego. But during training camp last year, I started getting the hang of it.”
Dwelley did enough to earn a spot on the practice squad to start the season. And he performed well enough in that role for the 49ers to promote him to the 53man roster in midOctober.
In his fourth game, a primetime matchup against the Raiders, Dwelley made his offensive debut after Kittle briefly left the game with a rib injury.
And before Dwelley’s second snap, quarterback Nick Mullens called a play in the huddle on which Dwelley was a primary target.
Was Dwelley excited? Nervous? Completely freaked out?
“Nothing was really running through my mind,” he said, “other than run the right route and catch the ball.”
Dwelley succeeded. He caught an 8yard pass from Mullens, which was a highlight of his rookie season spent primarily on special teams. He played 158 specialteams snaps and had two catches for 14 yards on his 39 offensive plays.
Still, it was a start. This offseason, the Sonora (Tuolumne County) native devoted himself to adding strength while training in Reno and Nashville, spending a week in Tennessee with Kittle and quarterback C.J. Beathard.
Dwelley is a natural pass catcher, but he’s still adding bulk to his 6foot5, 235pound frame to aid his run blocking. Dwelley indicated that area remains a work in progress, but his summer training buddy insists Dwelley has improved in all facets.
“He is lightyears ahead of where he was his rookie year,” Kittle said. “Whether that’s just the understanding of the game, figuring out the speed of the game … undrafted free agent or not, he’s balling for us.”
Dwelley’s unlikely rise is more improbable considering this: He played mostly quarterback his first two seasons at Oak RidgeEl Dorado Hills and didn’t play football his junior year to focus on baseball.
But the first baseman missed the sport.
“I just wanted to come back and give it everything I had my senior year,” Dwelley said. “I wasn’t worrying about the future or anything like college. I was just trying to play my best. And a door opened up for me.”