Will San Francisco 49ers Draft Another Running Back for 7th Straight Year?
What do the San Francisco 49ers and their last six draft classes have in common?
If you answered “seven rounds,” then, well, we recommend that you start thinking outside the box just a bit more.
Despite having the incomparable Frank Gore on the roster since 2005, the 49ers selected a running back in seven of the next nine drafts, not to mention six straight dating back to 2009.
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These draftees include Glen Coffee, Anthony Dixon, Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James, Marcus Lattimore and Carlos Hyde last year. Coffee and Lattimore retired, while Dixon and James found themselves on other squads via release and free agency, respectively.
Hyde and Hunter remain in San Francisco and will form two of the three-headed backfield monster alongside free-agent addition Reggie Bush. This trio will bring elements of power, dynamic speed and pass-catching proficiency. It’s a complementary group where each back will share the load and stay fresh behind a retooled offensive line.
So, the question is, does Niners’ general manager Trent Baalke pull the trigger on another one? Will he tab a running back for the seventh straight year in spite of the three big-time assets already filling out the depth chart?
Knowing the 49ers’ needs at wide receiver, cornerback and linebacker, among other positions, let’s review one mid- and one late-round possibility.
We’ll then conclude whether Baalke will ignore other positional deficiencies, honor the best-player-available approach and bring aboard another running back to San Francisco.
T.J. Yeldon, Alabama, Round 3
Things didn’t end well the last time the 49ers drafted a tall and lean running back out of Alabama.
Coffee retired just one season after being drafted No. 74 overall in the 2009 draft. He cited God’s will and said that he “really felt [he] shouldn’t have entered the NFL in the first place,” per Gentry Estes of AL.com.
Deadspin’s Barry Petchesky reported that the 6’1”, 200-pound Coffee returned to Alabama and finished his degree, later becoming an Army paratrooper in 2013.
But with T.J. Yeldon, San Francisco should have no such worries over any religious or military pursuits.
Yeldon averaged over 1,100 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns over his three years in Tuscaloosa. He rushed for a career-best 6.3 yards per carry as a freshman and posted career highs with 1,235 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore.
He totaled 1,159 yards from scrimmage in 2014, finishing with 3,322 rushing yards and 37 scores on the ground and another 494 yards and two touchdowns in the passing game.
The 6’1”, 226-pounder was an All-Freshman SEC selection after becoming the first Alabama true freshman with over 1,000 yards rushing. He later earned first-team All-SEC in 2013 and second team as a junior in 2014.
Dane Brugler and Rob Rang of CBSSports.com provided these details on Yeldon’s strengths:
"Taller, leaner build than most backs and his size may play a role in the deceptive speed and agility which makes him so successful. Has above average body control and burst to make effortless lateral cuts and leave defenders whiffing at air, displaying his impressive athleticism in space… He's quick to the hole but shows good vision for cutback lanes, showing the ability to plant his foot into the ground and explode to ruin pursuit angles. Accelerates quickly and has good top-end speed for breakaways.
"
The scouts at ESPN Insider gave him an elite score for agility/acceleration and above-average marks for his competitiveness, solid work in the passing game and intangibles. They noted that Yeldon is “very humble” and “leads by example,” not to mention being “well-liked and respected by teammates and coaches.”
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com adds that the 4.52-second 40-yard dash runner is “productive when playing through pain” and is an asset who will serve as a “versatile, rotational back with the ability to step in and step up” at the NFL level.
As long as Baalke acquires a receiver and corner in the opening rounds, he could target Yeldon with San Francisco’s No. 79 overall pick (ESPN and CBS Sports peg him between No. 69 and No. 86). He would play on special teams in his rookie campaign and take over as the dual-threat backup behind Hyde next season.
Bush and Hunter both have one-year deals in 2015.
Karlos Williams, Florida State, Round 5-6
We’ll declare at the outset that this next entry brings some considerable baggage.
ESPN Insider hit Karlos Williams with a marginal grade in intangibles. Scouts cite “serious concerns regarding personal character, negative outside influences and poor decision-making.” No charges landed on his record, but Tallahassee police did investigate him for a domestic violence assault in October 2014.
So why would the 49ers even consider such a prospect?
Because talent trumps character in the NFL, and if personnel decision-makers in an organization believe they can harness it, they’ll pull the trigger. Baalke did so himself in the fifth round last year.
Outside linebacker Aaron Lynch also received a marginal score in intangibles. ESPN noted that "multiple NFL scouts…vocalized concerns regarding his mental makeup, football character, true commitment to the game, self-discipline and maturity level.”
The 49ers not only coached those issues out of Lynch, they extracted six sacks, four pass breakups and Pro Football Focus’ No. 20 overall ranking among 3-4 outside ‘backers from the once-embattled collegiate player.
As far as Williams is concerned, the 49ers already have the leadership structure in place. Former Florida State teammates Nick Moody and Tank Carradine are both on the roster and would help guide Williams in the right direction.
And as for talent and ability, the 6’1”, 230-pounder has plenty.
Williams ran the second-fastest 40 time among running backs at the combine (4.48 seconds), per NFL.com. ESPN awarded him with an elite grade in the height-weight-speed category, emphasizing his “impressive performances” in the vertical jump, broad jump, short shuttle and three-cone drill.
The former 5-star safety recruit totaled 1,419 rushing yards, 22 touchdowns and a 5.9-yard average in two seasons carrying the rock at FSU. He hauled in 29 passes for 265 yards and a score in 2014 as well.
Here’s how Brugler and Derek Stephens of CBSSports.com summed up Williams:
"Exciting combination of size, straight-line speed and power. Looks the part of an NFL athlete with a tapered, well-built frame. Possesses speed, cutback ability and power, and demonstrated improved vision over the course of his collegiate career at running back. Williams has light feet and flexible ankles to make strong cuts and redirect his momentum quickly. While decisive and smooth, he also runs with forward lean and a physical style that makes him a tough guy to slow down once he gains steam…Terrific special teams player. Consistently beats opponents down the field and is a willing, aggressive hitter.
"
Baalke and Co. clearly must maximize those strengths while eliminating his upright-running tendencies, leverage issues and hit-and-miss instincts, per Zierlein of NFL.com.
If they can accomplish that, the 49ers will have a steal in the fifth or sixth round (CBS Sports and ESPN project him between picks No. 168 and No. 185). Williams would supply that “terrific” play on special teams as a rookie while later serving as a dynamic No. 2 option behind Hyde down the line.
The Verdict
OK, so will Baalke pull that proverbial trigger on one of these guys or another college prospect in this year’s draft?
We may not believe in lucky No. 7, but the Niners GM will honor that numerical fortune and use one of San Francisco’s nine picks on this otherwise-dying position. He will select a running back for the seventh consecutive draft.
In an NFL era where aerial passing attacks flourish, the 49ers will continue their ground-and-pound approach, stockpiling backfield assets through the draft moving forward.
Time will tell if one materializes this season in the form of Yeldon, Williams or someone else.
All team and player statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise noted. Advanced metrics provided by Pro Football Focus.
Joe Levitt is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, waxing academic, colloquial and statistical eloquence on the San Francisco 49ers. Follow him on Twitter @jlevitt16.
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