People go through life where if they want something bad enough, they will stop at nothing to go get it. After last week’s 2023 NFL Draft wrapped up, one wide receiver who was not drafted decided to take it upon himself to be noticed by using social media to his advantage.

East Carolina University (ECU) wide receiver Isaiah Winstead did not hear his name called in Kansas City (where this year’s NFL Draft was held), nor offered a contract with any of the 32 teams as an undrafted free agent or invited to rookie minicamps.

It would have been easy for Winstead to accept the facts of reality and start searching for other alternatives outside of the NFL (football or not), but the 23-year old from Richmond, Virginia took matters into how own hands by putting together a highlight reel that would showcase his skills as a receiver.

Winstead posted a clip through his Twitter account which has since obtained over 4 million views and retweeted by thousands in support for  any team to take a chance on this talent.

If you observe his footwork, shiftiness  and route running, it is easy to see why everyone is rooting for Winstead to land somewhere. Oh, did I mention that he stands at 6’4″?

It didn’t take long for the San Francisco 49ers to notice, and they would sign Winstead to a free-agent deal on Wednesday.

It has been a long road to the NFL for Winstead as he had college stints at both Toledo and Norfolk State before settling in at ECU.

In 2022, Winstead recorded 88 receptions for 1,085 yards and six touchdowns with the Pirates; while earning All-American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention.

The 49ers now have reached their maximum limit of 90 players on the roster after adding Winstead, who will need to overcome the odds of cracking the final 53-man roster.

With the 49ers stacked at the wide receiver position, Winstead has a lot of work to do in order to impress the coaching staff, but the undrafted rookie took a major step toward living his dream by betting on himself and not giving up.

Winstead will get every opportunity to show the 49ers what he can do at the NFL level.

There are no guarantees in the NFL, but Winstead’s story is a classic example why fans of the 49ers are rooting for him.

And who doesn’t love a good underdog story?

Written by Paul Williams

@thizzle75