San Francisco 49ers: 5 predictions for training camp MVP in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 5: 49ers Running Back Salvon Ahmed
Head coach Kyle Shanahan already knows what he has in running backs Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert. Shanahan also has a pretty good idea what he has in fellow tailback Jerick McKinnon, although one might expect Shanahan to hold McKinnon back a bit during training camp so he can acclimate slowly after missing the last two years due to injury.
This opens the door for some less-known backs, particularly the undrafted rookies, JaMycal Hasty and Salvon Ahmed.
Ahmed, in particular, could be a camp standout thanks to his speed and explosive abilities out of the backfield. He wasn’t much of a pass-catching tailback during his time at the University of Washington. Yet he has tendencies similar to former Niners running back Matt Breida, who was also an undrafted free agent who shined in camp during his rookie year back in 2017.
In some ways, San Francisco is looking to develop another Breida-like player, this time with Ahmed.
It’s likely the 49ers feature Ahmed a bit with first- and second-team units, taking away the wear and tear Coleman, McKinnon and Mostert will see once the regular season commences.
Should Ahmed seize the moment, it’ll potentially be enough to earn a landing spot on the 53-man roster when the regular season rolls around.