A seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma known as "Weight Room Willy," Brayden Willis has carved out a niche as a blocking tight end and special teams contributor for San Francisco.
Brayden Willis was never drafted for his hands, and his NFL career has followed that scouting report almost exactly. He has spent his 49ers tenure bouncing between the active roster and practice squad, valued more for his blocking and special teams work than for touches.
Path to the league
Willis played five seasons at Oklahoma after arriving from Martin High School in Arlington, Texas as a three-star recruit. In his final season with the Sooners he caught 39 passes for 514 yards and led the team with seven receiving touchdowns, earning Second-team All-Big 12 honors and a reputation as a punishing blocker that stuck as his nickname, "Weight Room Willy."
Career highlights
San Francisco selected Willis in the seventh round of the 2023 draft, 247th overall. He has spent most of his three-plus seasons cycling between the 49ers' active roster and practice squad, valued for his blocking at the point of attack rather than as a pass-catching threat.
2025 season recap
Willis appeared in seven regular-season games in 2025, playing heavily on special teams while seeing only limited offensive snaps. He finished the year without a reception, serving as depth behind the 49ers' top tight ends before an injury to George Kittle briefly pushed him higher on the depth chart for the playoffs.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Brayden Willis
- ESPN: Brayden Willis
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Receiving
6 games played▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49ers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 49ers | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- Oklahoma
- Hometown
- Arlington, TX, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- active
