49ers training camp: How these 5 fringe players make 53-man roster
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers can’t pass up on JaMycal Hasty
The Niners’ running back room is awfully crowded despite the offseason trade of Matt Breida to the Miami Dolphins and the recent waiving of the undrafted rookie, Salvon Ahmed. Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson Jr. are all established veterans with proven abilities and impact at the pro level.
Those are attributes another UDFA, former Baylor running back JaMycal Hasty, doesn’t have.
Barring injury, there’s essentially only one spot open here on San Francisco’s depth chart, and it falls between Hasty and Wilson. Both are known pass-catchers, giving head coach Kyle Shanahan another element to his game.
Yet Wilson wins with his short-area toughness and size. Hasty, all 5-foot-8 of him, is a tough tackle, too, but it’s mostly based on his low center of gravity and his multi-cut abilities as a rusher.
The 49ers haven’t had a scatback for a while now, and Hasty has shown plenty of value in training camp to suggest he’s worth a spot on a 53-man roster somewhere. The only remaining question is whether Shanahan prefers what he knows Wilson offers or if he sees a player like Hasty bringing far more to the offensive discussion than his primary competition.
If it’s the latter, Hasty gets a spot and could see a notable role as a Niners gadget player.