The real issue with the 49ers selecting a running back in the draft again

For a third straight season, the San Francisco 49ers selected a running back. Isaac Guerendo from Louisville was selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft, Jordan James of Oregon was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft, and Kaelon Black of Indiana was taken with a third-round pick in this draft. We don’t have to go down the list of previously drafted running backs.

Taking a running back in three straight seasons and getting nothing in return in terms of production is a poor process. The issue isn’t the players themselves. I believe each of the last three selections can be productive players to some degree, some more than others.

Depth is definitely needed at the position. However, using valuable draft capital to select depth pieces at the position, who will need an injury to Christian McCaffrey to even smell the grass, feels like a waste. If the 49ers were headed to a split backfield, then you could stomach the selections.

Without McCaffrey missing time, none of the three players will see the field, plus Guerendo could be on the roster bubble, which is frustrating in itself. The Louisville running back filled in admirably for a bit in 2024, but appears buried on the depth chart after not logging a single touch in 2025. Here’s the real issue.