Much-maligned San Francisco 49ers third-round draft pick Kaelon Black will have an early chance to prove the 49ers right for their belief in him.
Entering training camp Black was the third RB on the depth chart behind Christian McCaffrey and Jordan James. Working his way into a meaningful backup role was going to be an uphill climb, but that climb changed a little bit Monday when James sustained a rib fracture that will keep him out of practice for an undisclosed amount of time.
Without James in the mix, Black should see more reps as the RB2. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner pointed out in his post-practice observations that Black is standing out in the non-padded practices.
Via Wagoner:
Black continues to impress as he gets more reps. James had an early edge but his rib injury really opens the door. I mentioned this before but Black’s best quality might be how decisive he is and his burst to and through the line. OT Colton McKivitz said it’s a bit unusual to see a rookie back put his foot in the ground and go like Black does but it’s a positive sign for him that he’s already got that skill. Pads will tell a better story but promising so far.
It’s a different game once the pads are on, but standing out in the padless practices is better than being invisible. The 49ers have their first practice in pads on Friday which should give Black a significant opportunity to push his way up the depth chart.
Black won’t likely win the job while James is out. He could overtake the presumed frontrunner, though, and make his case to see a legitimate workload behind McCaffrey once the regular season begins.
If Black is a steady offensive contributor in Year 1, it would go a long way toward dispelling some of the consternation around the 49ers selecting a running back in the early rounds of the draft. It hasn’t worked in past years, but Black has a real opportunity to carve out a different path if he takes advantage of the additional workload while James is on the sideline.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Controversial 49ers draft pick gets early opportunity to shine
Reporting by Kyle Madson, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
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By Kyle Madson, Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
