SF 49ers NFL Draft: Rhamondre Stevenson could fit at running back

Rhamondre Stevenson flashed at the Senior Bowl and could be a good fit for the SF 49ers in the 2021 NFL Draft.

It’s draft time for the SF 49ers, and with the Senior Bowl wrapping up, it’s time for the Niners to shift some names around on their draft board.

One of the positions that could be due for a selection is the running back corps, given Jerick McKinnon is extremely unlikely to return and the status of Tevin Coleman is in the air.

San Francisco has Raheem Mostert as the starter and Jeff Wilson is newly extended, so the latter could be considered the second running back on the depth chart now, but there isn’t much behind them. JaMycal Hasty flashed in 2020 before injuries cut his season, but he’s still mostly an unknown quantity, and the team isn’t beholden to him as a mere practice squad graduate.

And besides, that’s only three running backs and the team likes to use as many as four on its roster. In short, there is room for a new player there.

Rhamondre Stevenson, the running back from Oklahoma, has been singled out for praise for his work during the Senior Bowl and could possibly be a good value selection as a player who can run, catch and block.

Walter Football had this to say about the young back:

"Multiple team sources named Stevenson as one of the standouts from this year’s Senior Bowl week. Here’s what one director of college scouting said about Stevenson: “He’s a 235-pound downhill runner who can run routes, pass blocked well and caught it clean out of the backfield. Workhorse-type back.” Given Stevenson’s skill set as a power runner who can also contribute as a receiver, he is in the running to be a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft thanks to his strong week in Mobile."

Now it should be noted the SF 49ers are averse to addressing the position early, and the recent emergence of Mostert, Wilson and Hasty from the practice squad or free-agent fodder to the squad is proof of this.

But the Niners are also not averse to surprising with their picks. It could be very possible San Francisco could look to spend a second-day pick in the draft.

Stevenson would make sense because he does everything the SF 49ers want in a running back in their offense. Stevenson is a tough downhill runner who stands at 6-foot-0 and 246 pounds and can take punishment, but he is also an adept receiver out of the backfield and can block.

It’s not even out of the question Stevenson could be used as a fullback if Kyle Juszczyk leaves the team in the offseason. Stevenson has the bulk and the skills head coach Kyle Shanahan likes.

Stevenson ran 101 times for 665 yards and seven touchdowns for the season, and he had 18 catches for 211 yards as well. He wasn’t a superstar, but you could argue he might be able to fly under the radar as a result.

The SF 49ers are in a difficult spot as they look to rebuild their roster under a tight salary cap constraint. The Niners value versatility, and Stevenson could play either running back or fullback in an offense that features both.

There’s a lot of time between now and the draft, but Stevenson is definitely a name to monitor after the Senior Bowl.