Kyle Shanahan says the 49ers drafted Kaelon Black because ‘You need to have more than one starter’

Q: Why did the 49ers draft Kaelon Black?

The 49ers drafted Kaelon Black to ensure they have more than one starting running back, especially considering the injury history of Christian McCaffrey.

Q: What did Kyle Shanahan say about Kaelon Black's abilities?

Kyle Shanahan praised Black for his physical running style, ability to break tackles, and potential to contribute significantly in the 49ers' offense.

Q: How did Kaelon Black perform at his pro day?

Kaelon Black ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day, showcasing his explosiveness and speed as a tough, hard-nosed runner.

Q: What is the expected role of Kaelon Black in the 49ers' offense?

Kaelon Black is expected to be part of a 1-2 punch with Jordan James, filling in for Christian McCaffrey if he faces injuries during the season.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Kaelon Black #8 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs with the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images Many figured the San Francisco 49ers would draft a running back at some point after losing Brian Robinson Jr. in free agency. Christian McCaffrey was the bell cow last season. After leading the NFL in touches in 2023 and 2025, the odds are against McCaffrey to make it through another season fully healthy. The 49ers have consistently drafted running backs since 2021. Now, they haven’t done a good job identifying players with NFL traits, which is why it happens annually. Take Isaac Guerendo, for example. Nobody questioned Guerendo’s speed, but the fact that he couldn’t step onto the field during his second season speaks volumes. Jordan James didn’t play because he was injured early and fell behind the 8-ball. The only NFL reps the team has of James are in a blowout playoff game. James will likely compete with third-round pick Kaelon Black, who the Niners drafted this past weekend. Head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked about his opinion of Black, what he saw from him, and how he pictures Black in the 49ers offense: “It always starts with me with just who’s the most natural running back. I love third-down backs, all the pass game stuff that people can bring, but when it just comes to running the ball, you need to have more than one starter. We’ve gone through a number of years here where we’ve been through at least four backs. Last year was one of the abnormal years where, and it was awesome, but our starting back was able to stay healthy.” The 49ers using McCaffrey as much as they did last season likely says just as much about Robinson Jr. McCaffrey had 311 attempts, but couldn’t crack four yards per carry. You can’t talk about CMC without mentioning his production in the passing game. But it goes without saying that the 49ers need to shave about 100 touches off McCaffrey’s workload. Shanahan continued, “Usually, it happens a lot, where it’s not just the one, it’s the two. We’ve gone through four a number of times, and so, what he could do as a true starting running back is what I liked. If you ever had to give him more carries, could he hit the right hole? Can he move the chains when you only block it for three? Can he get five? The physicality he ran with, how he broke tackles when he did get into space, how he didn’t sit there and stutter his feet, he just broke to open spots and got yards.” That’s an accurate description of Black. We’ll break him down this week, but if there were plays when the offensive line didn’t block somebody up front, Black had the speed to outrun the defender and turn a negative into a positive. As he hit the turbo button through the line of scrimmage, he’d reach top speed instantly and run through arm tackles. It’s full speed all of the time with Black, even in pass protection. Black’s performance at his pro day was the cherry on top: “And then what he did at his pro day. When you see a tough, hard-nosed runner who ends up running the 40 that he did(4.45), to know what else is in his body for more explosiveness and stuff like that. You know, they didn’t throw him the ball a lot, but when you watch his Senior Bowl, you watch his older tape from his other school, and you see that he has the skillset that you can really develop, and you’ve got a guy you can win with.” Here’s a clip of Black running routes at the Senior Bowl: He had 14 targets in two seasons at Indiana. That number climbed to 54 in two seasons at James Madison, including six touchdowns. If you look at this pick through the lens of an inevitable injury to McCaffrey, James and Black will be the 49ers’ 1-2 punch when they fill in for CMC.