Regardless of Frank Gore Situation, 49ers Must Select RB Early in 2015 Draft

The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of needs to address in the offseason, but the biggest storyline concerns whether all-time leading rusher Frank Gore will be back with the team for the 2015 season.

Gore is set to be a free agent for the first time in his career, and although general manager Trent Baalke reiterated the 49ers' desire to keep hold of their starting running back at his combine press conference, there remain doubts over the former Miami Hurricane's long-term future with the team.

Indeed, B/R's Matt Miller does not believe Gore, who has previously expressed doubts on social media over the front office's faith in him, will re-sign with San Francisco. Even if he does, there are sure to be questions as to how long he can produce at a level that has seen him record eight 1,000-yard seasons in his exceptional career.

If Gore goes elsewhere, then Carlos Hyde—selected in the second round of the 2014 draft—figures to be the starter ahead of Kendall Hunter. Despite the former Ohio State Buckeye's considerable promise, the 49ers should still look to bolster their backfield early in the draft regardless of whether Gore decides to spend his 11th season in the league with the Niners.

The Gradual Decline of Gore

It seems strange to talk about the decline of a player who has been such a consistent performer, but even the most ardent of 49ers fans would accept that Gore is not the same player he was a few years ago. For a 31-year-old, this is hardly surprising, but it is worth taking into account when assessing the Niners' depth at the running back spot.

Gore still has the vision and patience that have been defining features of his career and proved he still has the power to be a quality a running back with a 52-yard touchdown run during his 158-yard performance in the team's Week 16 loss to the San Diego Chargers last season.

Yet without his strong finish in the final two games against the Chargers and Arizona Cardinals—in which he amassed 302 yards on the ground—Gore's numbers for the 2014 season would look a lot worse than they do now.

Gore may have been more effective, though, had he been utilized more often in a campaign where the Niners' offensive game plan was not clear until they refocused on running the ball after being eliminated from playoff contention. And while his monster performances in the final two weeks of the season suggest the 49ers would have been more successful with a greater emphasis on the run game, the fact is this: Gore rarely troubled opposing defenses in 2014.

On seven occasions, Gore was held to under 50 yards on the ground, although the team's Week 3 clash with the Cardinals—where he received just six carries—and the Week 15 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in which he suffered a first-half injury can pretty much be discounted.

Those statistics still point to a player who is gradually wearing down. The 49ers recognized that last year and drafted Hyde as a result. San Francisco will also be wary of Gore's knees—which had to be surgically repaired during his collegiate career—potentially giving out if they do strike a deal to keep him with the team.

A Need to Complement Hyde

If Gore is not re-signed by the 49ers, then aside from Hunter—who is coming off an ACL injury suffered in training camp last year—they will not have a complement to the powerful, downhill running style used by prospective starter Hyde.

Hyde displayed flashes of the brilliance that led the Niners to take him early in the 2014 draft, finishing the season with 333 yards and four touchdowns, but it was perhaps not the excellent first season San Francisco was looking for when it used its second pick on him.

Head coach Jim Tomsula expressed his admiration for Hyde at his combine press conference on Thursday, yet with Gore getting up there in terms of age and Hunter having recently suffered a serious injury, there is a distinct need to find an insurance policy for a player whose style of running could quickly become predictable.

Few NFL teams operate with just one feature back, though the Niners had done so with Gore until the recent arrivals of Hunter and Hyde, among others. It is extremely impressive that Gore has held up for so long as the workhorse in the 49ers backfield; however, San Francisco cannot afford to take the same chance with the guy they have selected to be his replacement.

Hyde was the fourth running back San Francisco selected in as many years. Of the previous three, only Hunter is still with the team. In order to ensure Hyde's sustained success, the Niners need someone to split carries with him and help extend his career at the highest level.

Gore can fill that role for now, but looking long term, it would be wise for the 49ers to acquire another back who can share the load for years to come.

A Loaded Draft Class

The last two drafts have passed without a running back being picked in the first round. However, that streak may be poised to end in a year in which the class at the position is extremely strong.

Georgia's Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin are both viewed as potential first-round picks by CBS Sports; however, the 49ers could significantly improve their talent level in the backfield by acquiring one of the better backs in the class in the second round.

San Francisco has some kind of need at almost every position and could perhaps prioritize those other issues over an area where it may have two starter-quality backs on its depth chart.

There are some exciting backs in the later rounds who have the potential to develop into capable players at the pro level; however, if the 49ers want to ensure that their backfield is among the best in the league, they would be best served spending at least a mid-round pick on a tailback.

So which running backs should they pursue? Gurley and Gordon are likely to be off the board by the time the 49ers pick in the second round of the draft, yet—with San Francisco owning the No. 14 pick in Round 2—the Niners are in strong position to pick up the next-best back in the class.

Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah, Miami star Duke Johnson and Jay Ajayi of Boise State are all in the conversation to be the third back taken. And anyone from that trio would be a strong complement to the bruising running of Hyde.

All three have speed, elusiveness and the ability to make guys miss.

The buzz around Ajayi has grown in recent weeks, and it is no surprise given his production at Boise State, where he put up 2,358 yards from scrimmage and scored 32 total touchdowns in his final year with the Broncos.

Ajayi has extraordinary acceleration, light feet and the ability to make quick, decisive cuts, yet there are plenty of knocks on his game, the most notable of which is his tendency to bounce runs outside due to his apparent inability to break tackles on inside rushes.

Pass protection is also an area of concern for Ajayi, but the same can be said of former Cornhusker Abdullah, who earned Heisman Trophy buzz with a sparkling senior season that saw him rack up 1,880 yards from scrimmage and score 22 total touchdowns.

Abdullah has the same excellent speed as Ajayi and—despite his slight 5'9", 205-pound frame—is able to earn the hard yards on the inside, often using his size to his advantage to duck tacklers for bigger gains.

Making the most of a smaller frame has been turned into something of an art form by Gore, whom Johnson appears to have modeled himself on.

While he lacks the explosion of Ajayi and Abdullah, Johnson is arguably the more complete back. He is better at protecting the quarterback and combines impressive patience and toughness with an excellent initial burst and the fluidity of movement to change direction and leave defenders trailing in his wake.

Johnson's situation coming out of college is very similar to that of Gore in that the main concern surrounding him is injuries, which have hampered him throughout his time with the Hurricanes. Still, for a team like the Niners—one that has consistently taken chances on players whose draft stock has been damaged by serious injuries—Johnson's past fitness problems are unlikely to be an issue.

Further down the draft, the likes of David Cobb, David Johnson and Jeremy Langford project as solid options with tools to carve out nice pro careers, although they would not provide anything different from what San Francisco already has in its backfield.

If the 49ers are to pursue a running back in the draft, it needs to be one who can offer a different look to opposing defenses and pose a genuine home run threat. Gore's potential return would make things more difficult, as he is unlikely to want to split touches any more than he is doing already with Hyde.

The fact remains, though, that Gore's best days are behind him, and while he can be an excellent mentor to the other tailbacks, the Niners need to put the issue of his future to the side when preparing for the draft and attempt to acquire another runner who can give their offense an added dimension.

Nicholas McGee is a San Francisco 49ers Featured Columnist based in Leeds, England. Follow him on Twitter @nicholasmcgee24.