SANTA CLARA — Right around the time Carver Willis was ready to turn off his TV, the phone rang.It was not his phone, but that of his fiancée, Maddie.
Willis provided the NFL with Maddie’s mobile number because he wanted to avoid any possible letdowns from misleading calls to his own number.
Then, as the No. 127 overall selection of the 2026 NFL Draft approached, the phone call came.
Willis, who concluded his college career as Washington’s left tackle, did not know what to expect during the draft. But a call from the 49ers was something he had not seriously considered.
“I just remember being so overwhelmed,” Willis told NBC Sports Bay Area on “Meet the Rookies.”
“It could not have worked out any better. I didn’t really think it was the 49ers calling because I had not talked to them since the combine.”
The NFL Scouting Combine took place in late February in Indianapolis. It was nothing but crickets from the 49ers for the next two months.
Then, 49ers general manager John Lynch, coach Kyle Shanahan and others within the organization...