5 botched moves John Lynch, 49ers made over course of 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: 49ers gaffed on running back Trey Sermon
We can still hope and believe 2021 rookie running back Trey Sermon finds a quality role on the offense after being selected in Round 3 of the draft last year, a decision John Lynch and Co. made after trading up in the round to grab him.
At the time, though, even we thought it was a questionable move in light of the resources the Niners already had at the position, and Sermon’s natural fit in the offense could have been questioned, too.
Read More: Trey Sermon was 49ers’ most questionable pick in 2021 draft
Immediate reactions to that assessment might have been hot and angry. But after Sermon was scantly used this season, finishing his rookie year with only 167 rush yards and one touchdown over just nine games played, it sure looks as if that assessment was correct.
The miss on Sermon was alleviated by the emergence of sixth-round rookie running back Elijah Mitchel, who set a franchise record for a first-year player with 963 rush yards.
In the meantime, though, Sermon’s role in future seasons is seriously in doubt. That pick would have been better used elsewhere.