SANTA CLARA – James Jordan and Corey Kiner are the 49ers’ newest running backs — and this year’s entrants to an annual demolition derby.
Seven different running backs have served as the 49ers’ leading rusher in coach Kyle Shanahan’s eight seasons.
Christian McCaffrey led the way emphatically in 2022 and ’23, but when Achilles tendinitis and a knee injury waylaid him last season, the 49ers dug deep into their depth chart, which no longer offers Jordan Mason and Deebo Samuel after their trades last month.
McCaffrey is healthy now and participating in the 49ers’ offseason program. There is no greater sign of a 2025 upswing for Shanahan’s offense. Still, contingencies are required, so Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. now have competition for backup roles.
As McCaffrey said last week about the roster’s overall turnover: “Bring in the new guys and have them get up to speed as quick as possible.”
Here are five aspects to know about the 49ers’ Jordan and Kiner:
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Jordan was the 13th of 25 running backs drafted, and Kiner got overlooked despite being attending the NFL scouting combine.
“There was a feeling amongst teams that it was such a deep class, ‘We can wait,’ “ general manager John Lynch said. “… We were pleased that he was still there.”
That’s no guarantee Jordan will be here long term, and the undrafted Kiner could have a say in that, as recent 49ers history reflects.
Joe Williams (2017, fourth round), Trey Sermon (2021, third round) and Ty Davis-Price (2022, third round) were beat out by the 49ers’ undrafted gems, a contingent featuring Matt Breida (2017), Jeff Wilson Jr. (2018), JaMycal Hasty (2020), and Jordan Mason (2022).
BEYOND THE NUMBERS
James is 5-foot-9 ½ and 205 pounds, with a 4.55-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Kiner measured in at 5-9 and 209 pounds, with a 4.57-second 40.
James showed surprising burst, however, when John Lynch and the 49ers’ five-man contingent visited Oregon’s pro day.
“We loved him before, off tape. He had more burst and acceleration than what we expected (at pro day),” Tariq Ahmad, the 49ers’ co-director of player personnel, said.
Lynch described James as “a powerful back. Runs through tackles. Does not necessarily have tremendous top-end speed, but he’s got dart and burst.”
James came with the approval of Frank Gore, a 49ers personnel advisor and their all-time leading rusher; Gore was a 2005 third-round pick after his 5-9, 212-pound frame ran a 4.57-second 40. “I like to look at guys that kind of remind me of myself, so Frank Gore is definitely one of those guys,” James said. “A guy that’s hard to tackle. He’s explosive. We don’t have the 4.3, we’re not 4.3 speed guys, but we get the job done.”
James is an ideal fit for the outside zone scheme, and Kiner also comes with a fierce approach. “A lot of teams like how physical a runner I am, how I’m able to break tackles, fall forward after runs and pass protect and they like my ability to catch,” Kiner said at the combine.
VERSATILITY POTENTIAL
McCaffrey’s dual-threat ability is unmatched, as evident by his 2023 AP Offensive Player of the Year award and 2,023 yards from scrimmage. The 49ers may not have been scouring for versatility but James and Kiner subtly offer it.
Again, James’ showing at Oregon’s pro day made believers out of the 49ers’ brass. “(Dillon) Gabriel, the quarterback, was throwing and he was one of the guys catching a lot of the routes. It showed me he has very natural hands,” Lynch said.
“At the pro day, he showed he could catch the football well. And he’s good in pass protection as well,” added Josh Williams, the 49ers’ director of scouting and football operations.
When Kiner got asked at the combine about his most overlooked skill, he responded: “My ability to catch. I was thrown 16 passes last season, and I caught 16 balls. I don’t drop the ball.”
Both rookie running backs will have to prove they’re reliable in pass protection before the 49ers deploy them in a pass-catching capacity, and James drew praise from the 49ers for that trait.
GOAL-LINE ABILITY
James ran for the fifth-most touchdowns (31) in Oregon history, and he scored every 12.5 carries, a rate that was better than the four rushers ahead of him: Royce Freeman, LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner and Derek Loville, the latter of whom was on the 1994 49ers Super Bowl-winning team. (James, a 2012 second-round pick, never scored in his 15 career games with the 49ers, who released him after the 2014 opener.)
James scored in 11 of Oregon’s 14 games last season, with none of his 15 touchdown runs longer than 11 yards. He scored in 8-of-14 games in 2023 behind Oregon leading rusher Bucky Irving, and that included a career-best 30-yard, go-ahead touchdown run at Stanford.
Kiner scored just 16 rushing touchdowns in 34 games at Cincinnati, but he ran for 116 scores in high school en route to becoming Ohio’s third all-time leading scorer and winning the state’s Mr. Football crown.
McCAFFREY AS A MENTOR
James, in his post-draft media session, paid homage to McCaffrey as an elite player and potential mentor: “It’s honestly going to be an honor to go in and learn from him, learn from a great running back like that.”
McCaffrey, a ninth-year veteran out of Stanford, said last week that he’ll temper any advice rather than overwhelm rookies, relying on running backs coach Bobby Turner.
“A lot of times, my answer is, ‘I’m getting coached by the same guy you’re getting coached by. I learn just as much from Coach T as they will,” McCaffrey said. “They’re being thrown so much information, so sometimes more information as a back isn’t good. But I definitely give my two cents where I feel it might be needed.
“It doesn’t matter what year you are as a running back, you learn from these (young) guys, too,” McCaffrey added. “They’re coming off from college. The game evolves. You can learn from them, too.”
Neither James nor Kiner missed a game the past two seasons; that durability is sure to be tested in the NFL.