49ers must adopt these New Year’s resolutions in 2023
By Peter Panacy
49ers New Year’s resolution No. 3: Stop using Day 2 NFL Draft picks on running backs
Yes, the midseason trade for Christian McCaffrey probably just negated any possibility of San Francisco spending a second- or a third-round NFL Draft pick on a running back for a third consecutive year when the 2023 draft rolls around this spring.
However, don’t put it past Kyle Shanahan to do so again.
Exactly why he’s done this in back-to-back years is anyone’s guess, but the immediate takeaway of those efforts is they have failed miserably. In 2021, the 49ers’ selection of former Ohio State running back Trey Sermon turned sour quickly, and Sermon found himself off the team following one year.
In 2022, of course, the third-round selection of LSU tailback Tyrion Davis-Price was overly shocking right away, and the doubters have seemingly been justified with the rookie rusher having a mere 25 rush attempts for 67 yards over just four games played, and he’s frequently on the weekly inactive list, too.
When the Niners’ number is called on day two of the 2023 NFL Draft, Shanahan needs to keep his interest in a running back at bay.