CONCORD, N.C. -- In 2015, former http://www.00fenrir.com/wholesale-nfl-san-francisco-49ers-cheap-car... Northwest Cabarrus punter/kicker Bradley Pinion made the difficult decision to forgo his senior year at Clemson to enter the NFL Draft.
That year, Pinion was taken 165th overall by the San Francisco 49ers and was the only specialist selected in the entire draft.
The adjustment from life in the Carolinas to the West Coast was a big one for Pinion, but the Concord native seems to have gotten comfortable in California.
“California is really cool. It’s a much different pace of life than it is in Concord, North Carolina,” said Pinion. “That was a big adjustment http://www.authenticseahawksproshop.com/wholesale-nfl-seattle-seaha... getting used to the faster pace of life and the traffic and everything along those lines of living in the city.
“But it’s really cool being in Silicon Valley. It’s really neat seeing all the tech industries and to meet different people and see a whole different side of how they see the world.”
But it hasn’t been all fun in the sun for the 22-year-old Pinion. As he prepares for his third NFL season, he has worked year-round at his craft, whether he’s back home in Concord or at the 49ers’ practice facility.
From a football perspective, life in the pros has been very different for Pinion, who said that his football IQ has increased greatly since he began with the 49ers.
“That’s the biggest difference,” he said. “You’re always working on your technique and form and everything along those lines, but just understanding the game of football as a whole is something I’ve really gotten better at.”
Soaking it all in
No player in the NFL punted the ball more than Pinion in 2016, as the 6-foot-5, 229-pounder booted exactly 100 balls, making him the Chandler Jones Youth Jersey only punter to hit triple digits.
Pinion averaged a solid 44 yards per punt last season, and he said his numbers have improved as his consistency has. And his consistency has risen, thanks to some of the players around him.
“Any job, as you get more used to it and get more mature, you’re able to handle your emotions better,” Pinion explained. “I’ve had a really good mentor who’s been here for the last two years in Phil Dawson.”
Dawson, who came into the league when Pinion was just 5 years old, is going on his 19th season as an NFL kicker and has a wealth of experience and knowledge he’s passed off to his younger teammate.
Dawson departed for Arizona this offseason, though, but in his absence, the 49ers added 12-year veteran kicker Robbie Gould, who’ll be another strong figure in Pinion’s continued development.
Along with the veterans who have been his teammates, Pinion has also gotten the chance to play against some of his childhood idols.

“With me being a specialist, I always paid attention to kickers and punters growing up,” Pinion explained. “One of the guys I always looked up to was (New Orleans Saints punter) Thomas Morstead. I have a similar body style to him, so I’ve always tried to emulate his style and a few things that he does.””
Last November, Pinion had the opportunity to meet his role model when the Saints traveled to San Francisco for a mid-year matchup.
Said Pinion, “Being able to talk to him last year before the game and kind of after the game and pick his brain and things along those lines was really cool to do.”
One of the best lessons he has learned is simply to take care of what he can control, and the coaching situation in San Francisco has helped reinforce this message.
Pinion has played his first two NFL seasons under two different head coaches. Jim Tomsula, a Catawba College alum, who was replaced a year later by Chip Kelly. Kelly’s stint also only lasted one year, with the 49ers hiring former Eric Reid Authentic Jersey Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in February.
But Pinion hasn’t let this affect him.
“Every year coming in, there’s one common goal, and that’s to win it all,” Pinion said. “Every year you have the same goal, no matter who the coach is and no matter what players are here.”