Niner Noise
FanSided

49ers training camp battle: The running back position

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 22: Carlos Hyde #28 in action against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 22: Carlos Hyde #28 in action against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – OCTOBER 22: Joe Williams #28 of the Utah Utes runs the ball during the first half of a game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on October 22, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – OCTOBER 22: Joe Williams #28 of the Utah Utes runs the ball during the first half of a game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on October 22, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Joe Williams

Joe Williams came to the Niners with a bit of a checkered past, even making John Lynch feel as if the runner wasn’t worth a draft pick.

Kyle Shanahan and Bobby Turner changed Lynch’s mind, of course, and San Francisco has one of the speediest runners from the NFL Draft. Williams’ 4.41 40-yard time ranked second among all participants at the position at the NFL Scouting Combine.

You can see some of this speed on display here:

Williams still has some adjustments to make at the pro level, and he doesn’t offer much in the receiving game — an element Shanahan would like to have with his runners.

It might be best to let Williams “learn the ropes” his first season in San Francisco, although it wouldn’t be a shock to see him climb to No. 2 on the depth chart.