49ers Draft RB Isaac Guerendo in the Fourth Round

The 49ers wanted running back Isaac Guerendo so badly that they traded up in the fourth round of the NFL draft for him.

Louisville s Isaac Guerendo ran for a touchdown against Virginia in L & N Stadium. Nov. 9, / Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA

The second trade up of the NFL draft has occurred for the San Francisco 49ers.

This time around they are trading up in the fourth round with the New York Jets to acquire pick No. 129 for their own fifth round picks at No. 173 and No. 176. The 49ers drafted Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo.

Guerendo is a prototypical Kyle Shanahan running back. Meaning he is a fast one-cut player who doesn't dance around and is a quick decision maker. He measures in at 6 feet tall and weighs 221 pounds, so he's got a solid frame to him.

At the NFL combine, Guerendo registered a 4.33 second 40-yard dash, so he is a player that has home run potential with every handoff. In 2023, he ran for 810 yards for 6.1 yards per carry and tallied 11 touchdowns in 14 games played. He also caught 22 passes for 234 yards, so he has versatility.

Pro Football Focus gave Guerendo a 89.1 grade, which is an excellent number to receive. He was the 20th highest graded running back by them. It makes total sense why the 49ers drafted him. Shanahan easily fell in love with his style. I wouldn't expect him to see much of the field in 2024.

Obviously, Christian McCaffrey has a stranglehold on the position, and Elijah Mitchell is the one who gets rotational run. A common theme of the 2024 NFL draft from the 49ers is that they are drafting for the future

So, Guerendo could be a contingency for when Mitchell inevitably leaves after next year. And who knows, with how injuries play out, Guerendo could see some playing time. Perhaps he also makes some plays in training camp and the preseason that makes him too enticing for Shanahan to keep off the field.