All articles tagged with #kaelon black
San Francisco drafted Indiana RB Kaelon Black with the 90th pick, drawing backlash, but coach Kyle Shanahan defended the selection as a rightful evaluation. Black says the criticism fuels him to prove the coach right, coming off a 1,040-yard, 10-TD season in 2025, and he’s expected to push for a role behind Christian McCaffrey, potentially earning more early-down work if he proves his value.
San Francisco selected Indiana running back Kaelon Black in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft; despite broad skepticism that the pick was a reach, Black says he’ll use the backlash to motivate himself and prove coach Kyle Shanahan’s evaluation correct, praising the 49ers’ system and teammates as he prepares to contribute alongside a loaded offense.
The 49ers drafted Indiana running back Kaelon Black 90th overall, drawing criticism as a potential reach. GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan defended the pick, and Black says the backlash only fuels him to prove them right. He highlighted his college production—1,040 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025 (with 251 yards in 2024)—as he heads into his rookie season.
Mixed verdict on the 49ers’ 2026 draft: Romello Height and Gracen Halton are lauded for disruptive upside, Kaelon Black is seen as an early third-round reach, and De’Zhaun Stribling’s WR projection plus a missed left guard target fuel questions about the team’s draft value and approach, even as scouts praise some fits and leadership notes surface in post-draft coverage.
San Francisco used the No. 90 pick to draft Indiana running back Kaelon Black, hoping to end a string of early‑round RB misses like Joe Williams and Trey Sermon. GM John Lynch, who interviewed Black at the Senior Bowl, praised his toughness, pass protection and versatility as a potential catalyst to ease Christian McCaffrey’s heavy workload. The move reflects a conviction‑over‑consensus approach, with Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan prioritizing fit over public perception as the 49ers also added De’Zhaun Stribling and Romello Height to address other needs.
The 49ers’ 2026 draft class features eight selections across rounds 2–5, including WR De'Zhaun Stribling, DL Romello Height, RB Kaelon Black, DL Gracen Halton, OL Carver Willis, CB Ephesians Prysock, LB Jaden Dugger, and OL Enrique Cruz Jr., each with extensive college resumes and positional versatility to bolster both sides of the ball.