4 players from 49ers 2022 NFL Draft who eventually become starters

49ers 2022 NFL Draft pick No. 1: RB Tyrion Davis-Price, LSU

Arguably the 49ers’ most surprising pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, former LSU running back Tyrion Davis-Price can still fairly be considered a reach by John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan towards the end of Round 3.

And Davis-Price might actually be a rookie starter, too.

There’s some merit to this, and it’s no knock against second-year Niners tailback Elijah Mitchell, whom we’ll still view as the team’s primary offensive weapon on the ground entering this season.

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Mitchell might not be the starter, though. Instead, Shanahan might look to the bigger, more physical Davis-Price as the go-to rusher early in games, much like the head coach did back in 2019 with former San Francisco running back Tevin Coleman, eventually giving way to the faster and more explosive Raheem Mostert.

That’ll probably be the same kind of approach 49ers fans see with Davis-Price, him receiving his share of touches early in games and then on short-yardage situations, while Mitchell will be capitalizing on tired-out defenses.

In this light, the Davis-Price pick makes a lot more sense, and he could wind up being a starter right out of the gate.