49ers 7-round mock 2022 NFL Draft using only Pac-12 players

Round 6, Pick No. 187 Overall (from Broncos): 49ers select RB T.J. Pledger, Utah

San Francisco discovered a hidden-gem running back in Round 6 last year when it drafted now-starter Elijah Mitchell out of Louisiana.

Assuming the 49ers make no more moves at running back, they’ll enter training camp with Mitchell, fellow second-year pro Trey Sermon, Jeff Wilson Jr. and JaMycal Hasty to compete for both roles and depth.

However, don’t be shocked if Kyle Shanahan wants to continue adding onto his impressive list of hidden-gem halfback finds.

Utah running back T.J. Pledger, a convert from Oklahoma, managed nearly 700 rush yards after transferring to the Utes, averaging 6.7 yards per carry in the process. More of a one-cut zone-style runner, the 5-foot-9 and 196-pound Pledger isn’t overly fast or shifty, but his game speed shows up on film anyway.

If for no other reason, he’d surely put pressure on the remaining names of the running back depth chart to produce.