Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
49ers sign 3rd-round draft pick Danny Gray to 4-yr, $5.25 million rookie deal
The San Francisco 49ers have signed former SMU wide receiver
Danny Gray to his rookie four-year deal, per his agent, Quincy Peyton. The team made him the 41st pick (No. 105 overall) in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Gray becomes the third member of the 49ers' nine-player 2022 draft class to sign with the team. All have been signed today, following the
retirement of center Alex Mack and the freeing up of over $4 million in salary-cap space. San Francisco also
signed its second-round pick, defensive end
Drake Jackson,
and fifth-round pick, cornerback
Samuel Womack.
"Danny Gray does it probably in a smaller package, but still has those two qualities of he can flat-out get it," general manager John Lynch said on April 29. "This is a kid who won the 100 in Texas as a sophomore in high school, and his coach, Sonny Dykes, Kyle (Shanahan) and I have a relationship with Sonny, and he was great during the process just kind of explaining who the kid is and talked about him as a player."
Gray registered 49 receptions for 803 yards and nine touchdowns through 10 game appearances as a senior in 2021, per
Sports Reference. He caught 82 passes for 1,251 yards with 13 touchdowns through his two collegiate seasons.
"I bring elite speed, can create open space, and I'm a deep ball threat," Gray told reporters after being drafted.
Thanks to the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which runs through the 2030 season, all rookie contracts are for a length of four years. First-round selections come with an option for a fifth year, which doesn't apply to any of the 49ers' nine draft selections.
The total value of Gray's four-year contract is set to be $5,251,818, per OverTheCap.com. That includes a signing bonus of $999,504 and a 2022 salary-cap figure of $954,876.
After being drafted, Gray wasn't too sure what his role would be with the 49ers, but he sounds ready to do whatever is asked of him.
"Yeah, I'm excited to work with [Shanahan]," Gray shared. "I don't really have a role yet, but whatever it is, I'm ready to play and I'm ready to come in and make an impact."
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