49ers selected Oregon RB Jordan James with the No. 147 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
James (5’10/205) backed up Bucky Irving as a freshman and started to force a committee as a sophomore with 107 carries to Irving’s 186. Though Bucky easily operated as the Ducks’ top option, James’ talent was undeniable. He averaged 7.1 YPC and equaled Irving with 11 rushing scores. With the latter gone in 2024, James took over the backfield and didn’t disappoint, racking up 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns on 233 attempts. He caught 26 passes for 209 yards, albeit at just under one yard per route run. James lost his already limited long-run potential while operating as the lead back. He broke just a dozen carries of 15+ yards, the same amount he went for in the previous season. Despite his lack of explosive runs, James was elite at churning out shorter chunk gains. His 57 percent success rate led all running backs in 2024 and he went for 10 or more yards on 17 percent of his carries. As expected, James was underwhelming at the combine, running a 4.55 forty. After his pro day, James registered a 3.87 RAS. James is a grinder with a limited ceiling, but he heads to a Kyle Shanahan system that is great at elevating running backs. James will compete with Isaac Guerendo for RB2 duties in San Francisco over the summer.