49ers selected Michigan WR Ronnie Bell with the No. 253 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bell (6’0/191) rebounded from a torn ACL suffered in 2021 to have a productive 2022 with the Wolverines. Posting career-highs across the board last season (62-892-4), Bell excelled in a run-heavy Michigan offense playing both out wide and from the slot. A receiver with a high motor and competitive nature, Bell will challenge any defender for the ball. His 20 percent contested catch rate is underwhelming, but his athleticism, which includes a 38.5-inch vertical, puts him in position to win any battle in the air. As a sophomore, Bell led the Wolverines in receiving (48-758-1), narrowly edging out teammates Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones. In a COVID shortened 2020, Bell would again lead his team in receiving. His speed won’t impress anybody, but Bell outperforming NFL talents in Collins and DPJ as an underclassman is worth noting.