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San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Trey Sermon has agreed to document his first NFL training camp leading up until his first NFL game. This month, Sermon is sharing a first-person account of his experiences. In his first blog entry, Sermon details his draft day, taking the field for the first time as a member of the 49ers and his preparations for his first NFL training camp. Stay tuned for his next installment, coming August 13.

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"Trey! Trey! Your phone! Answer your phone!"

The timing couldn't have been any more awkward. I hadn't moved all day. I sat in the exact same chair, staring at the exact same screen for hours. I couldn't move to be honest. Nervous. Anxious. Every emotion you could probably think of, that's what I was going through.

I had no idea where I would end up. I knew a lot of teams were looking for a running back. I knew I could fit in, in a number of spots. I heard I could go anywhere from the second to third round. The question was just, "when?"

I needed some fresh air. Maybe I just needed to get up and walk away for a second. I was just getting so worried thinking about everything. A quick trip to the restroom would do, I figured.

Wrong.

The moment I got into the bathroom, here comes my family banging on the door.

"Your phone, Trey! Someone's calling."

I rushed out of the room to see an incoming call from a 408 area code.

"Hey, Trey. This is John Lynch from the San Francisco 49ers. Welcome to the family, man."

That moment still feels so surreal. I'm being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers.

I broke down during the call. It was such a relief knowing that all the work I put in was finally paying off. I knew San Francisco was a great place and I knew I would fit in well because I was already pretty familiar with the organization.

Jerick McKinnon, who spent the past three seasons in San Francisco, is kind of like a big brother to me. We both attended Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia seven years apart. Jet would always come back to the school and chat with us and we kept that connection throughout college. I remember when he was playing in San Francisco, I would always talk to him and ask him about playing in the NFL or catching up on one of his games. To this day, we talk regularly, and he gives me pointers about playing for Kyle Shanahan and coach Bobby Turner.

Coach Bobby T and I were in contact during the draft process. We actually talked quite a bit and were able to build a relationship. He would reach out and we would talk ball, my game as a running back and how I see the field. Other times, he just wanted to get to know me better and get a feel for me as a person. We connected well. And I already knew what type of coach he was and the laundry list of guys he's coached through the years.

I did my homework on him just like he did his homework on me. Fast forward some months and everything just aligned. It was perfect.

It didn't take long for a string of other unknown numbers to hit my phone. George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, Deebo Samuel and Raheem Mostert were just a few of my teammates who reached out after I joined the team.

It didn't really hit me that these guys are now my actual teammates until I finally got to Santa Clara. I remember as soon as I arrived at the team facility for the first time I was like, "wow, this is Levi's® Stadium." Just walking into the building, seeing the facility, seeing the Lombardi Trophies and then seeing my locker, it was like a dream come true. It was everything that I hoped.

Now don't get me wrong, I was nervous. I'm coming in and guys are bigger, faster and stronger than in college. I'm competing against guys like Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. Man, I've watched those guys on TV before and they're real. And then the D-line? I mean, look at those guys. They're one of the best in the league. It's a lot to adjust to. I'm still adjusting.

Raheem has been a resource for me. He's pretty much like a big brother. We talk every single day, even when we're not practicing. He's always helping me and pointing out little things I can focus on. Even over the summer when we had time off from football, he came through Atlanta and we got to hang out. He's just a good dude. He's definitely helped me a lot along the way. Same goes for Jeff Wilson Jr.. Even at practice, Jeff is there coaching me up on whatever he sees. A lot of times after a play, I walk straight to them on the sidelines and say, "okay, what did you see here? What could I have done differently?" They've been a big help for me.

The same goes for settling down out here in the Bay. Mannn, these rent prices. They had to help mentally prepare me for what I was about to undergo.

While juggling OTAs, I was also trying to secure a spot to live. It was hard because of the pricing. I didn't want to spend too much. I talked with my financial advisor and he gave me a budget to work with. I'm trying to save money out here. But also, I'm kind of picky. Plus, I have a Blue Nose Pitbull, Lucky, and not a lot of places allow pets. So, this wasn't an easy task.

But I managed to sign my lease before OTAs ended. In between training in Atlanta and settling down in the Bay Area, I managed to get away one last time before training camp. I took a vacation. I needed one. From the National Championship all the way to OTAs, it has been nonstop for me. I went to Cabo and took some time off to recharge.

Once I came back, it was game time. My focus was solely on football. I want to continue to get better. I was proud of my performance during my first OTAs. But that's not enough. I want to get better. I want to be better. And I won't stop until I get there. Training camp is here, and I'm ready to earn my place. Yeah, these past few months felt like a dream. And now it's time to make this all a reality.

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