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49ers undrafted WR has been 'most physical receiver' in training camp
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- 49ers undrafted WR has been 'most physical receiver' in training camp
Will Pauling wasn't drafted, but he's making it hard for the San Francisco 49ers to ignore him.
The rookie wide receiver, signed as an undrafted free agent , has emerged as one of the standout performers of the 49ers' training camp. Not for his flashy catches, but for his physicality. Wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson didn't hold back when describing the 5-foot-10, 183-pound Pauling's play in Santa Clara.
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"He's tough, man," Hankerson said, via NBC Sports Bay Area . "I love Will. That kid comes in, he works. He stayed here the whole offseason. He's the hammer in the running game. Right now, he's been the most physical receiver, I'll tell you that much."
With Mike Evans , De'Zhaun Stribling and Deebo Samuel locking down three roster spots, and Christian Kirk , Demarcus Robinson and Jordan Watkins in strong position for three more, the competition for the 49ers' remaining receiver spots is thinning out. Pauling has seemingly put himself in the mix, even with Jacob Cowing sidelined by a hip-flexor injury.
Blocking has been Pauling's calling card so far: "No matter if he's going up against a D-end, a linebacker, or a DB, he's been sustaining blocks," Hankerson said. "And that shows up a lot."
Pauling's college resume includes stops at Cincinnati , Wisconsin and Notre Dame. His best statistical season came in 2023 at Wisconsin, where he caught 74 passes for 837 yards and six touchdowns. Last year, in his lone season at Notre Dame, he averaged a career-best 14.7 yards per reception and finished with 26 receptions for 381 yards and six touchdowns. Across his 48-game college career, Pauling totaled 155 receptions for 1,753 yards and 15 touchdowns.
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To make the 49ers' 53-man roster, Pauling will likely need to contribute on special teams — an area where he's getting real reps despite no college punt-return experience.
Hankerson sees real upside, but also room to clean up the details.
"I've been impressed with him," Hankerson said. "He's showing some speed, showing some ability to make plays, but he has to continue to work on his technique as far as not slipping. He fell down a couple times. We'll keep working with him there."
Barring a roster spot, Pauling looks like a strong bet to land on the 49ers' practice squad.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers undrafted WR has been 'most physical receiver' in training camp
