49ers roster predictions: Who’s in, out at running back?

In for 49ers: Trey Sermon, Elijah Mitchell and JaMycal Hasty

After using a third-round pick on Trey Sermon, it’s hard to envision too many scenarios where the Niners don’t keep him. While it’s certainly possible Sermon is the odd man out, he’d either have to completely flame out during training camp or suffer some sort of major injury.

Considering Sermon, who came up huge in big games for Ohio State last year, was seeing a lot of time with the first-string unit during organized team activities, being waived certainly doesn’t seem likely.

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Elijah Mitchell and JaMycal Hasty are different stories, though, and they’re both squarely on the bubble.

Mitchell, a one-cut-and-go kind of running back, has Raheem Mostert-like speed, and it seems as if Kyle Shanahan will want to use Mitchell as a key reserve and potential long-term replacement for Mostert beyond this season.

So, at least in that regard, Mitchell gets the nod.

Hasty, meanwhile, seems much less likely. Especially with Wayne Gallman in the mix and Hasty coming off an ACL tear last year.

But Hasty also impressed well enough during OTAs and looked fully recovered from last year’s injury. As a tough-to-tackle scatback, also with good pass-catching skills, one might think Shanahan would elect to go with youth since he already has a player like Mostert atop the depth chart.