49ers rookie Ronnie Bell excited to team up with Ambry Thomas in NFL – NBC Sports Bay Area

SANTA CLARA — Rookie wide receiver Ronnie Bell is thankful to have a friend to lean on as he starts his NFL career with the 49ers.

The seventh-round pick (No. 255 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft attended the University of Michigan with cornerback Ambry Thomas, who already has been a resource for Bell since being drafted. The Wolverine receiver spoke to local Bay Area Media last week and shared what he had already learned from his college teammate.

“The first thing Ambry said to me was I’m going have to be able to block,” Bell said with a smile. “That’s something that I love. It’s something that I’m excited about. Holding not just receivers, but everyone, to such a high standard, I think that will be a good thing, and fun to be a part of.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan is notoriously tough on his receivers, with their blocking being a significant part of the success of his offensive scheme. With Bell prepared to be a willing blocker on the field, the 23-year-old already is one step ahead.

Bell was a freshman when he and Thomas first squared up on the Michigan practice field. The young receiver shared that the competition was not just physical. 

“He was one of the first guys to kind of trash talk with me,” Bell said. “Definitely competitive, so I’m excited to get back out there with him and do that.”  

The two will no doubt, raise the level of play on the field for each other while also offering support. Bell joins a very talented receivers room that includes Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud and Danny Gray. 

With the level of talent in the receivers group, Bell may be carving out a role on special teams first before being inserted on the field in Shanahan’s offense. The 6-foot-0, 192-pound receiver recorded 13 punt returns in his five seasons at Michigan with an average of 11.5 yards per return. 

No matter what the staff asks of Bell, he knows Thomas will be there to help him navigate his initiation into the league. 

“[Thomas] was one of the first ones to call me up when I was drafted,” Bell said. “Another familiar face is something that is definitely warm. I’ve never been out here before and he will definitely be one —  I’ll be in his pocket to kind of learn the ways out here.”  

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