Before: Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter and Anthony Dixon.
Grade: B
Why: Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter were one of the best rushing duos in the league last year. They got the bulk of the Niners’ carries, and the offense finished eighth in rushing. However, the trio was collectively bad in short yardage. Anthony Dixon was supposed to be the goal line guy, but he failed.
Now: Add Brandon Jacobs and LaMichael James.
Grade: A-
Why: The 265 lb. Jacobs should be an upgrade over Dixon as the goal line running back – he scored 7 TDs last season and 9 the season before. LaMichael James should be an upgrade over Kendall Hunter, who’s a good running back. The Niners don’t have to worry about their small, change-of-pace backs getting hurt because they have two of them. So the Niners have three, possibly four good running backs this season. If Gore stays healthy and Jacobs succeeds at the goal line (scores 5+ TDs), this group will be an “A.”
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What do you know,I agree with you Grant.
I have said for a long time we need to move on from Dixon and it looks like we will.
One thing you left out was that JH just said the other day that James is unstoppable on the goal line,so now we have Jacobs and Miller and Gore AND James for the short yardage. (Maybe he is so small that the defenders can’t see him behind the big O linemen ? lol ).
I agree with this grade as well. If LaMichael James truly becomes the home run hitter we hope he is, its an A+.
Either way, exciting times in ninerland with the emphasis on offense this year.
Not even counting the non-drafted kid who, barring injuries, might have been chosen in the middle rounds.
Breaking News out of Santa Clara!!!
Frank Gore released…
Probably one year early there Pork.
Unfortunately
I doubt it.
Baalke said Frank would retire a Niner last year and resigned him. He is in the middle of three year contract that will put him at about 32 years old and seriously get him to think of retirement by then.
Doc
Some fan you are.
This is a great move, for those of you who know me….. I believe in running back by committee.
Keep fresh legs on the field at all times and prolong players though a long NFL season distributing the physical punishment equally. This is especially important in coach Harbaughs run heavy offense to set up the pass.
Now the only worry is the guard spot to pass protect and open up holes for the ground game.
Doc
No RB will get enough playing time to unseat Frank who continues to deteriorate. Rathman will continue to bully new running backs into scared robots, just because he can. Just my opinion.
That’s 100% contrary to what the rookie, Miller said about Coach Rathman and his own learning experience. But I should probably take your word for it.
Im a huge fan of Gore but I am excited to see the James/Hunter duo in the future.
I’m still shocked that CPolk rated as high as he was, was still on the board. There were guys rated in the 50′s (to CP’s 84) that were drafted before him. The scouts/teams have insight that we don’t have obviously but every time I saw him play he was very productive on a poor team. Last year by guy that fell was in the QB position (Bay never lets me forget it) was PDevlin. Very talented but was late to his pro day and turned quite a few NFL folks off. Now a member of the Fins.
Anyway, at least I was correct that the 9ers would draft an RB although I thought it would be RTurbin. Jack and GC didn’t agree. LOL Fun times!
Jacobs should prevent some hits on Gore, always a good thing. Between Hunter and James, we have two explosive backs who can do a lot of things. I can’t wait ’til they line up in the backfield together…talk about creating some mismatches. Yes, agree, this is now an excellent group of RB’s who collectively do many things well.
Not much discussion here about undrafted free agent RB Jewel Hampton.
Frank Gore: 5’9″, 217#, draft stock fell because of multiple injuries in college
Jewel Hampton: 5’8″, 218#, draft stock fell because of multiple injuries in college. I’m really excited about getting him in camp and seeing what he can do.
I like the pick of LaMichael James. If picking him (and Jenkins) says anything, it’s that the powers that be felt we needed to add speed to our offense, and they certainly did that. I envision James being used in a wingback role, where he can get into the pass patterns quickly, but is also a definite threat to be used in the run game. Did I remember to mention the speed…?
I like “Boobie” Dixon from an enthusiasm/teammate/locker room stand point, but he hasn’t been producing on the field, and his roster spot is definitely in jeopardy. Perhaps Gore, Hunter, James, Jacobs, and Cartwright on the roster (Cartwright was brought in to be a special teams ace, replacing Costanzo in that role), with Hampton on the PS as Gore’s eventual replacement (IF, that is, he lives up to expectations). Sorry, Anthony, but it’s a numbers game.
My grade: B+
More on Jewel Hampton:
I asked CBS Sports’ Rob Rang if any names from the 49ers’ undrafted free-agent list jumped out at him. The first one that did so: Running back Jewel Hampton from Southern Illinois. The bowling ball-shaped Hampton began his college career at Iowa and was seen as a worthy heir to Shonn Greene after scoring seven touchdowns as a freshman. But he tore his right ACL in 2009 and his left in 2010 (sound familiar, 49ers fans?), and he eventually transferred to Southern Illinois.
It seems as if Hampton has fully recovered. He led the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 17 touchdowns and 1,121 rushing yards last season. The 5-9, 218 pounder also ran his 40-yard dash at his pro day at under 4.5 seconds and cranked out 26 repetitions of 225 pounds at the combine, which is excellent for a running back.
The foregoing is from Matt Barrows: http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2012/04/draft-notes-49ers-to-get-a-close-look-at-jenkins-alternatives.html
@Claude,
Someone on this board brought Hampton’s name up during the run up to the draft. He sounds impressive.
@Jack:
Let’s hope he can stay healthy.
In the same article, Barrows also disclosed this about Cam Johnson (7th round pass rusher from UVA):
Baalke noted that NFLN analyst Mike Mayock had Johnson rated among the Top 100 picks. So why did he fall? Teams may have been concerned that Johnson has a sickle cell trait – revealed by college coach Mike London last year – that affects blood hemoglobin and can cause anemia in high stress conditions, such as playing football.
The rap on Johnson has been that he’s great on first and second downs but flags by third down. At times he looks like a first-day draft pick. At others he fades into the background. If the 49ers use Johnson as part of a rotation, it seems like it would minimize that condition and perhaps the 49ers have a steal in the seventh.
I like the thinking. Johnson has Top 100 talent (including good pass rush skills), but is only able to play limited snaps. The 49ers are set on 1st and 2nd downs at OLB with Smith and Brooks, but can use another edge rusher. Thus, they can get Johnson’s best, but don’t need to use him so much that he loses effectiveness. That seems like a 7th round draft pick well spent.
Does Dixon have practice squad eligibility? He is a great personality and clearly loves his team, so maybe a season on the squad to work on his game while Jacobs takes on the big back role would help him.