49ers add running back and wide receiver at the end of round 3

Posted By on April 29, 2022

With the 93rd pick in the NFL Draft, the 49ers selected running back Tyrion Davis-Price from LSU. San Francisco showed interest in running backs throughout the draft process and reached for a player they probably could have taken in round four or five.

One of the primary reasons Deebo Samuel was used so heavily out of the backfield over the second half of last season was the lack of explosion from the running backs, and this selection does little to help change that.

Davis-Price is a North-South runner who struggles with getting back to top speed if he needs to change direction. He is a slower version of Elijah Mitchell.

On a positive note, Davis-Price does not have a lot of mileage on his tires. He carried the ball only 379 times in three seasons at LSU, averaging 4.6 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns.

San Francisco is putting a lot of weight on Trey Lance’s shoulders, and it’s going to be on the first-year starter to create explosive plays for the 49er’s offense.

With the 105th pick in the NFL Draft, the 49ers gave Lance another weapon in the passing game, selecting wide receiver Danny Gray from SMU.

A junior college transfer, Gray played only 18 games for the Mustangs. Despite the lack of time at the FBS level, Gray showed continued growth, finishing with nine touchdowns in only ten games last season.

Best known for his speed, 4.3 in the forty-yard dash, Gray has shown the ability to make plays at all levels of the field.

If Gray can limit his drops, he will be an excellent fit alongside Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.

This article has 18 Comments

    1. Kyle Shanahan is playing checkers when everyone else is playing chess. The RB picks year in and year out are just maddening. He’s the only one who seems to value that position. Apparently they need a new stable of running backs every season.

      1. His goal was to run 40-50 times last year. Why not do the same with a 1st year starter at QB? That’s recipe for beating the Rams anyway.

    2. The other thing that is ticking me off and isn’t very much mentioned is the 49ers are wasting talent and money leaving Kittle in to block most of the time.

      Address the freaking O-line and maybe, just maybe you can leverage Kittle’s game breaking talents. The man has the ability to go the distance on any given play, but we’ve spent the better part of 2 seasons having him block for the weak side of the line. What a waste.

    3. I mean we have won games with mediocre offensive lineman. You could argue we would have won the NFCCG if McKivitz had started LT. We made a super bowl with Ben Garland as our C.

      -Banks will start at LG
      -Skule is healthy
      -Brunskill and Brendel compete at C
      -McKivitz and Moore compete at G

      1. It still doesn’t make any sense to pay McGlinchey $10-11M AND $16M to Kittle to block on the right side of the line on passing downs.

        That’s $26M+ invested just to get the blocking down on that side. And then you also give up Kittle’s explosive play-making ability.

        It’s not hard to see they’re clearly wasting their investment in Kittle.

        Shanny does the same thing with Deebo. I’d rather roll with a non-explosive running back than waste Deebo’s body running between the tackles. If they manage to keep him they’ll be wasting a significant portion of their investment in him having him in the backfield when you can get a decent RB on the cheap. Why spend $25M for an “explosive” running back? Doesn’t make any sense.

        1. Kittle was 6th or 5th in TE targets so maybe your analysis is a little off. George Kittle is not Travis Kelce. The 49ers offense is not the Chiefs offense.

          We are a run first team, you should expect a lot of blocking from Kittle. Is he not the best blocking TE in the league? Do the 49ers have one of the best rushing attacks each year?

  2. TDP holds the record at LSU for rushing yards in a game, 287, and rushed for 3 TDs against Florida. Running for 287 against a quality D-1 program is noting to sneeze at.

    1. True but didn’t Trey Sermon have a similar game against a legit opponent?

      I am guessing Trey Sermon may not be on this roster. Mitchell is likely the starter and Jeff Wilson the 3rd stringer with his ST versatility. That leaves Sermon or Davis-Price as RB2. Hasty practice squad call up depending on injuries and matchups.

          1. I didn’t see any catches where Gray had to jump up and fight for the ball, which is what the NFL will give him. Most of these catches were right in the basket. Can Trey do that…

            1. Can Tre do that? Dunno.

              If Gray can yank the coverage downfield a ways, might open up some things–maybe.

  4. I agree. I’m unsure why we don’t sure up our offensive line and the cornerback position. I don’t disagree with the picks. Regardless of who our QB is they’ll need a little more protection. As good of a blocker as Kittle is I prefer to have him out running routes.

    I think our D-line is outstanding. If we had more consistent, white on rice, DB play that buys our d line a couple more seconds to get to the QB.

    But there’s a reason why I’m posting on this blog and not sitting in a war room drafting players.

  5. So much for the experts at the PD and Chronicle who predicted the Niners would draft interior linemen and corner backs. Those experts clearly have no access to thinking of Niner leaders. Better they stick to writing about what is actually known and refrain from speculating on the future. At this point the teem still has Garoppolo along with an unnecessary defensive lineman and limited running back. Not a good omen for the future of the team and the writers covering it.

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