The San Francisco 49ers almost made it to the promised land last season. They pushed the Kansas City Chiefs to overtime of Super Bowl LVIII, but could not get the stop they needed to lift the Lombardi trophy. They will try again in 2024, where they will have another loaded roster from top to bottom.
The 49ers added to that roster during the 2024 NFL Draft with a rookie or two like Ricky Pearsall and Isaac Guerendo who can contribute right away. Veterans like Jauan Jennings and Elijah Mitchell could see their roles with the 49ers diminish as a result.
The battle for WR3
If the San Francisco 49ers retain both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel in 2024 (which isn't a guarantee at the moment), there is a logjam for the number three spot between two players. One of those is the steady Jauan Jennings, who has been brilliant in the slot for San Francisco in limited playing time. Jennings is also one of the best chain movers in the NFL.
His role as the primary slot receiver for the 49ers is about to be tested by rookie Ricky Pearsall. Pearsall was a five-year receiver who shined at both Arizona State and Florida during his college career. He was regarded as one of the best route runners in this year's draft who can be deployed in just about every facet of the game.
Pearsall can win deep or in the intermediate area of the field. He can do so while playing in the slot or on the outside. He can also be a weapon in the run game, which everyone knows head coach Kyle Shanahan loves to exploit. Pearsall turned 11 carries into 253 yards and five touchdowns during his college career.
Pearsall is legitimate with enough polish to be able to contribute right away. The 49ers likely selected the rookie with the idea of having leverage and insurance in the event they choose to move on from one of their veterans in Aiyuk or Samuel. But surely they have plans to play him sooner than later too. If they keep their two stars and want to get Pearsall on the field, Jennings' playing time will decrease.
Backup running back duel
The 49ers' track record of drafting rookie running backs is checkered at best. Their best hit at that position has been with Elijah Mitchell out of Louisiana. He's been great for the 49ers since emerging as a former sixth-round pick. Mitchell has averaged 4.7 yards per carry for his three-year NFL career.
But a recurring issue for Mitchell throughout his career has been health. He's only played 27 of a possible 51 regular season games over the last three seasons with a myriad of injuries. The 49ers want to keep the veteran Christian McCaffrey fresh over the course of the regular season but they can't if their backup is always hurt. That's why the 49ers used a fourth-round pick on Louisville's Isaac Guerendo.
Guerendo definitely has the size and speed to make it as an NFL running back. He ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL combine at 6-feet and 221 pounds. That build makes him an exceptional fit in Shanahan's outside zone run scheme.
Guerendo split Louisville's backfield last year with fellow draft pick Jawhar Jordan but was effective in that role. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry. Guerendo likely won't be asked to carry a heavy burden with the 49ers as long as Christian McCaffrey is healthy, but he can contribute if asked. His presence should be enough to make Mitchell sweat a little about his role next season.
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