For a third straight season, the San Francisco 49ers selected a running back. Isaac Guerendo from Louisville was selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft, Jordan James of Oregon was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft, and Kaelon Black of Indiana was taken with a third-round pick in this draft. We don’t have to go down the list of previously drafted running backs. Taking a running back in three straight seasons and getting nothing in return in terms of production is a poor process.
The issue isn’t the players themselves. I believe each of the last three selections can be productive players to some degree, some more than others. Depth is definitely needed at the position. However, using valuable draft capital to select depth pieces at the position, who will need an injury to Christian McCaffrey to even smell the grass, feels like a waste.
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If the 49ers were headed to a split backfield, then you could stomach the selections. Without McCaffrey missing time, none of the three players will see the field, plus Guerendo could be on the roster bubble, which is frustrating in itself. The Louisville running back filled in admirably for a bit in 2024, but appears buried on the depth chart after not logging a single touch in 2025.
Here’s the real issue. Each running back selected is an indictment of the previous running back. This isn’t my opinion either. The team is telling you what they think of Guerendo and James. Why select Jordan James when Guerendo was solid during his time, and the production was solid? Why select Black if you think James can fill in for McCaffrey?
The 49ers have found production with late-round picks or UDFA’s in the past. Think Elijah Mitchell in his only season as the featured back. Even Jordan Mason needed injuries to see the field finally, but he wasn’t drafted. The 49ers thought so much of him that they shipped him to Minnesota to essentially move up in the draft and gain more picks.
Unfortunately, the 49ers’ process of finding running backs is broken. Ideally, the team won’t need anyone to fill in for McCaffrey, but using the last few drafts as a data point, the team isn’t finding value with the past few running back selections.
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