49ers’ Danny Gray opens up about tough first NFL season

SANTA CLARA — At Southern Methodist University, Danny Gray was a star whose speed made him difficult to cover. In the NFL, where defensive backs and safeties are just as fast and talented, the young wideout has struggled to make an impact. Now in his second NFL season with the 49ers, Gray sat down with NBC Sports Bay Area and opened up about why 2022 did not go as planned. "I'm not going to tell a tale," Gray said. "I came in thinking I was going to be able to play. I'm the fastest guy on the team, so I had that young mindset. But coming into the NFL taught me a lot. Taught me that it's more than talent. It's details. It's knowing your job and just being ready to play fast." Coach Kyle Shanahan is known for having extremely high expectations for his wideouts with their job duties being much more involved than on other offenses. Gray struggled to see playing time in his first season, taking the field for 87 offensive plays in the 13 games he was active — 19 on special teams. After recording 82 receptions for 1,251 yards over his two college seasons, Gray expected to be involved quickly and often, but that was not the case. Similar to Brandon Aiyuk in his second season, Gray...