Will 49ers draft the son of a legendary former running back?

The San Francisco 49ers may not have a lot of need at the running back position, but the son of Frank Gore, arguably the greatest running back in franchise history, will be available in the NFL Draft.

Will the 49ers select him?

Should 49ers select Frank Gore Jr. in the NFL Draft

Gore needs no introduction to Niners fans. In a career that saw him rush for 16,000 yards and 81 touchdowns, he was the life blood of San Francisco's offense for so many years, both when the team was successful and when it struggled.

Gore was that consistent force on the offense, and he endeared himself to 49ers fans with the way that he played the game in his Hall of Fame career.

Now, his son, Frank Gore Jr., is looking to carve his own path in the NFL.

The younger Gore had a solid career in college at Southern Miss. His 2023 season saw him rush for over 1,100 yards and have 10 rushing touchdowns. He also had 221 receiving yards and three touchdown catches.

His dad gave him a pretty good scouting report, saying, "Great vision. Great heart. Stronger than what people think. But a good football player, man."

One would expect nothing less from his dad, but more objective sources also have positive things to say about the younger Gore and his skills.

NFL Draft Buzz notes that Gore being a smaller back, like his father, gives him a lower center of gravity that allows him to slip through tackles. They also note that he is a solid blocker in both the run and pass game, something that the Niners clearly put a premium on.

However, the 49ers already have three running backs on their roster going into 2024. They have their star Christian McCaffrey, their solid back up in Elijah Mitchell, and a solid contributor in Jordan Mason.

That would seem to make drafting Gore a difficult fit for the team. While Mitchell has dealt with injuries a lot, he has still looked very good when he is out on the field giving McCaffrey a breather.

Perhaps if the 49ers decided to trade either Mitchell or Mason, that would create room on the roster. But, given the fact that both are already on rookie deals, it is not as if the Niners would be saving a ton of money by doing that.

It would be incredible to see Frank Gore's son in a 49ers uniform, but with the team's current running back situation seeming fairly settled, it may not be the best fit. But Gore definitely seems talented enough to warrant a spot on another team's roster where perhaps he will have a long and storied career just like his father.

Read more from Niner Noise