Another Former Cal Walk-On Joins the 49ers

Ashtyn Davis and Jake Tonges came to Cal as walk-ons, but are back in the Bay Area with the Niners. Davis will compete with another Cal product for playing time

Cal safety Ashtyn Davis (27) celebrates with Camryn Bynum during a 2018 Cal game | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Ashtyn Davis and Jake Tonges did not seem destined to play for the Bay Area's favorite NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers, when they arrived at Cal from their Northern California high schools

Davis, a safety from Santa Cruz, joined the Cal football team in 2015 without a scholarship after competing on the Golden Bears track team. Tonges, a tight end from Los Gatos, arrived at Cal in 2017 without a scholarship.

But Tonges signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the 49ers this spring, and on Tuesday the 49ers signed Davis to one-year contract. Davis' salary has not yet been revealed, but he made $2.5 million in 2025 with the Dolphins.

Interesting, another Cal product, Patrick McMorris will be competing with Davis for playing time at safety because the 49ers signed McMorris in April.

49ers signed vet safety Ashtyn Davis, a Santa Cruz native and fast Cal product who was drafted to Jets when Robert Saleh took over as coach there — and played a half decade in NY. Davis was a Pac-12 champion hurdler at Cal and had 4.3 speed coming out in 2020.

2 former Cal… pic.twitter.com/qSQ3rJxwDT

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) June 2, 2026

While Tonges has made it to the NFL despite not being taken in the NFL draft, Davis was a third-round pick of the Jets in 2020.

Davis recently completed his sixth NFL season, starting 12 games for the Dolphins in 2025 before becoming a free agent.

Davis helps shore up the safety position for the 49ers, who have had problems at that position. That's part of the reason the Niners signed McMorris, who played for the Dolphins in 2024 and was one of Miami's final cuts prior to the 2025 season.

Davis is one of 11 former Cal defensive backs currently on NFL rosters, and the Golden Bears' starting secondary in 2019 had four players who are now on NFL rosters -- Davis, Camryn Bynum, Jaylinn Hawkins and Elijah Hicks.

Davis arrived at Cal in 2014, but he did not play football that year, competing on the Golden Bears' track team as a hurdler. He talked his way onto Cal's football roster in 2015 without a scholarship, but soon made an impact. He became a starter in 2016 as a cornerback and was a starter the next three seasons as a safety.

Davis has started 34 games in the NFL and has nine interceptions, including one in 2025, when he was also credited with four passes defensed, one forced fumble and 65 tackles.