Scout's Take: San Francisco 49ers
Underrated: Carlos Hyde
Hyde is a big physical running back with a great instinct for the zone. He's not a traditional fit, he’s a little bigger and more powerful. But he has a unique blend of finesse, quickness, power and strength. Combine that with his great vision and really great feet and cutting ability, and he’s a really talented runner. He was going to have a breakout year last year but got dinged up a couple of times. I don't see him as being a scheme fit in the Chip Kelly offense, but he's versatile. He has a natural feel and instincts. I think he'll be a pleasant surprise for the 49ers.
Overrated: Colin Kaepernick
He got a lot of credit when his team was winning, but during that timeframe, he had a dominant defense and running game. He hasn’t been the same without that, as is clear by his current role as the No. 2 quarterback behind Blaine Gabbert.
Extra Point
If they were in a different division, these guys might be able to turn it around and have a good year. [General manager] Trent Baalke is a top-flight football person. You have to look at the circumstances of what happened to get them from making three straight NFC Championship Games to where they are now, which is a team coming off of a 5–11 year. It was a perfect storm. It would be crazy to move on from Baalke, to make him the scapegoat for all of these unusual circumstances that occurred over 18 months. Another ownership group would snap him up in a minute.
