The running back room looks a lot different for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025.
Behind superstar Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers have a lot of unproven guys after Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason departed in free agency.
On paper, the 49ers run game could be in real trouble if McCaffrey gets hurt again like he did in 2024.
But expert NFL scout Brent Sobleski believes that everyone is underestimating a 49ers rookie running back that could be a future star.
In an article titled, “Overlooked Rookie RBs Who Can Have a Major Impact on 2025 NFL Season” Sobleski named 49ers fifth-round pick Jordan James as a top-5 running back set up best to have an impact for his team in year one.
“[James’s] running style does blend well with head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme,” Sobleski wrote.
Who is Jordan James?
Jordan James played all three of his College Football seasons from 2022-24 at the University of Oregon.
In 2023, James first flashed his potential when he led the Pac-12 with 7.1 yards per attempt.
In a more regular role in 2024, James rushed 233 times for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns. Those are superstar numbers for a Ducks team that was the No. 1 ranked team in all of college football for much of the season.
James reportedly didn’t test well in pre-draft evaluations, but he still boasts a body of work at a top collegiate program, which shouldn’t be ignored.
Plus, the 49ers brass is reportedly high on James.
“He was a favorite of former 49ers running back Frank Gore, who works for the team’s scouting department, and running backs coach Bobby Turner, who regularly had phone conversations with James in the run-up to the draft,” The Athletic’s Matt Barrows reported.
What are the 49ers’ Other RB Options?
Between McCaffrey and James on the depth chart is one other running back that could also be a breakout star for the 49ers this season.
Isaac Guerendo is the incumbent backup for the 49ers at running back. The 49ers selected him in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Guerendo ran 84 times for 420 yards and 5 touchdowns last season, his first in San Francisco. He also had 15 catches for 152 yards.
Guerendo is going to get more chances over James early, due to his NFL experience. But Guerendo is not proven enough to securely say that James can’t overtake him by the end of the season.
The 49ers also have journeyman UDFA Patrick Taylor Jr. on their roster. He rushed for 183 yards and a TD for San Francisco last season. But ESPN projects that at this point, James is already ahead of Taylor Jr. on the 49ers depth chart.
This seems like the definitive group for the 49ers running back room at this point, barring a surprising move. A few veteran free agents including Gus Edwards and Ameer Abdullah are still on the market, but the 49ers tend to prioritize developing their young running backs than bringing in veterans, especially this late in the offseason.
What do you think, 49ers fans? Is Jordan James a future star? Or is it someone else in the 49ers RB room?
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