The 49ers’ 2026 third-round rookie, Kaelon Black, has officially locked up the RB2 job after a preseason performance that signals a real shift in Kyle Shanahan’s infamous running back draft strategy. For years, we’ve watched the Niners throw draft capital at the position only to see those picks fizzle out, but Black is making waves, and not just with his rushing. This kid looks like a legitimate threat, and that’s exactly what our rivals down south need with Christian McCaffrey battling some early-season “tightness.”
Shanahan’s RB Rollercoaster Might Be Over
Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch’s running back draft strategy has been a rollercoaster, to put it mildly. In their first four years, from 2017 to 2020, they only picked one, Joe Williams in the fourth round, and he never even played a snap. Since 2021, it’s like they went all-in, throwing six draft picks at the position. Most of those haven’t exactly been success stories. Elijah Mitchell led the team in rushing as a rookie in 2021 before injuries derailed his progress. Trey Sermon, a third-round pick that same year, lasted only one season. Tyrion Davis-Price, another 2023 third-rounder, had a similarly short-lived stint. Even 2024 fourth-rounder Isaac Guerendo, who showed encouraging signs as a rookie, could soon be out. It’s been a frustrating pattern for Niner fans, and honestly, a bit of a laugh for the rest of us.
Black and James Offer a Glimmer of Hope
But now, Kaelon Black and 2025 fifth-round pick Jordan James are offering real reason for optimism that Shanahan might finally see a return on his RB investment. The 49ers desperately need some backfield help to lighten the load on Christian McCaffrey, who’s now 30 years old and already dealing with “tightness” through training camp and preseason. Black showed up big time in preseason, rushing for 61 yards on 12 carries, averaging over five yards a pop. That’s solid, but what really gets you hyped is his pass protection. If a younger back is going to eat into McCaffrey’s snaps, they must hold up in pass protection, and Black absolutely showed he can do it. He won the RB2 job in Preseason Week 2 with two “great pass protection reps” versus blitzers, showed “vision between the tackles,” and even “flattened a few guys on contact.” Jordan James has a tougher road; he fractured his ribs early in training camp. He didn’t even get any carries as a rookie until the 49ers’ blowout loss to our own Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round of the playoffs. But his lone preseason appearance on Thursday gives them another body in the backfield.
So, while our rivals might finally be figuring out their running back issues, the fact remains that their star back is already feeling some ‘tightness.’ Black is stepping up big, especially with his pass pro, which is huge for a team that loves to run the ball and protect the QB. This coming season, the Niners will be rolling with Black and James to hopefully keep McCaffrey fresh. We’ll be watching closely as the season kicks off to see if these new guys can really break the curse and what that means for the rest of the NFC West.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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