NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
Winters using Warner, 49ers resources in seeking larger role originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — He entered college as a wide receiver but made the switch to defense at the suggestion of his head coach.
Then-TCU linebacker Dee Winters spent a lot of time watching 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, studying and admiring his game, as he made the full-time transition to the other side of the ball.
So, of course, one of the first things that crossed Winters’ mind after getting the call from the 49ers during the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft was that he and Warner would become teammates.
Then, it happened.
Winters arrived at team headquarters for the first time and received a pleasant surprise.
“I walked in the locker room and he was walking out, and he said, ‘Dee Winters!’ And I was like, ‘Wow,’” Winters said of his first brush with Warner.
“I was a little fan boy in college. I was a little star struck at first. Coming in after watching him for three years in college. Once that barrier broke down and I got confidence, we started talking a little more. It’s still going.”
TCU coach Gary Patterson had a history of converting star offensive players from high school into NFL-worthy defensive players, including pass-rusher Jerry Hughes and linebacker Ty Summers.
Winters was a prolific receiver at tiny Burton High, 85 miles west of Houston. He willingly moved full-time to defense because his coach made the case that it provided Winters with his best opportunity to get on the field.
Winters quickly developed into a three-time captain at TCU and a prospect the 49ers knew could make a contribution early in his NFL career with his 4.49 speed in the 40-yard dash.
Indeed, Winters was a core special-teams contributor as a rookie. He played just 60 snaps of defense while appearing in 15 regular-season games.
After one season, Winters has worked himself into position with a strong offseason and a good start at training camp to earn a…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/winters-using-warner-49ers-resources-192106132.html
Author : NBC Sports BayArea
Publish date : 2024-07-28 19:21:06
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
