Niner Noise
FanSided

2018 NFL Draft: 5 players the 49ers should avoid in Round 1

By Aaron Tan

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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PALO ALTO, CA – NOVEMBER 10: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal runs with the ball against the Washington Huskies at Stanford Stadium on November 10, 2017 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
PALO ALTO, CA – NOVEMBER 10: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal runs with the ball against the Washington Huskies at Stanford Stadium on November 10, 2017 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Running Back Bryce Love, Stanford

The Bryce Love hype train was real this year, as the Stanford running back rolled to a 2,000-yard rushing season. I recently had the opportunity to cover the USC versus Stanford Pac-12 Championship game, and was salivating at watching Love run in the flesh.

Watching from the sideline, I got a close look at how Love runs. And I walked out of the game disappointed with his efforts. He was not explosive and was constantly stymied by a USC front seven that had been fairly generous to opposing backs prior to that game. He was unspectacular, to say the least, and simply did not live up to the hype.

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Granted, it was only one game, but Love does not fit the Kyle Shanahan offensive scheme as well, based on his receiving stats. The Cardinal only has 33 receiving yards on six catches this entire season. Running backs in Coach Shanahan’s system need to be able to catch the ball, and I am not trusting a back with just six catches this season to be able to adapt to a system that requires soft hands.

Love’s breakout season had many people claiming that he was better than Penn State running back Saquon Barkley. That could not be further from the truth, and the 49ers should stay away from this player that I do not love.