Are the San Francisco 49ers targeting Cam Skattebo in 2025 NFL Draft?
After trading away their bruising, tackle-breaking, multi-purpose offensive weapon last week, the San Francisco 49ers are in the market for Deebo Samuel 2.0.
Could John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan be targeting Cam Skattebo?
Arguably the most versatile running back available in the 2025 NFL Draft, Arizona State's All-American appears to be a perfect fit for Shanahan's scheme. Skattebo can line up all over the field, and he's a selfless player who blocks through the whistle and volunteered to play special teams for the Sun Devils.
Samuel and Skattebo are similar players
Samuel is an inch-and-a-half taller — he measured 5-foot-11 at the NFL combine compared to 5-foot-9 1/2 for Skattebo — but they tested out almost identically in their combine drills. Skattebo's vertical was 39.5 inches. Samuel's was 39. Skattebo's broad jump was 10-3. Samuel's was 10-2.
Skattebo hasn't run the 40-yard dash yet, but it's a safe bet he'll be in the same ballpark as Samuel's time of 4.48. There were question marks around Samuel's speed entering the NFL, but he quickly put those to bed. Samuel's "game speed" is different, and he hit 20+ miles per hour multiple times in games, including 20.9 mph on a 76-yard TD reception this past season.
Deebo Samuel reached a top speed of 20.90 mph on his 76-yard TD reception, his fastest speed since Week 14, 2019 and his 3rd time reaching 20+ mph this season (tied for 3rd-most in the NFL).
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 11, 2024
🔹 Yards After Catch: 54
🔹 YAC Over Expected: +43
Watch Now: https://t.co/cV6Nl8mVSR pic.twitter.com/MKvlLf3fim
Speed has been the one deficit cited by draft analysts when evaluating Skattebo, but the tape doesn't lie — he is really fast in games. Skattebo reached an eye-popping 21.8 mph while racking up 199 yards of offense in Arizona State's win over Utah in October.
Cam. Freaking. Skattebo.
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 12, 2024
The @ASUFootball running back went off in the Sun Devils' upset win over No. 16 Utah.
22 CAR | 158 YDS | 2 TDS
4 REC | 41 YDS#Big12FB | @ASUFootball pic.twitter.com/zl84eZfmFJ
There are many commonalities in how Samuel and Skattebo play — but "choosing violence" is at the top of the list. Both players seek out contact and try to run over defenders. Shanahan, as much as any coach in the NFL, loves players who generate yards after catch and yards after contact. In 2024 the 49ers took a huge dip in that category — they finished 19th in yards after catch, 15 spots lower than 2023.
According to Pro Football Focus, Skattebo rushed for 4.09 yards after contact per attempt and forced 102 missed tackles as a runner in 2024. His 139.1 elusive rating ranked No. 3 in the country among running backs.
The 49ers need to get younger — they were the oldest team in the NFL in 2024 — and they need someone to fill Samuel's multi-purpose role. Skattebo, 23, seems to be an ideal fit. He caught 45 passes for 605 yards (13.4 yards per catch) in 2024, capped by an incredible performance in Arizona State's 39-31 double-overtime loss to Texas in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Skattebo had 8 receptions for 99 yards, including a 62-yard catch where he lined up out wide and cooked Texas DB Michael Taaffe on a hitch-and-go route.
Skattebo, who grew up in Northern California, told PHNX Sports he got a call from a 49ers scout recently, and he met with the team during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
“That was a dream come true. I get a phone call from a Niners scout, and it’s like, 'Holy cow, the 49ers are calling me,'" Skattebo told PHNX Sports. "Obviously, it’s awesome, but at this point in my life, it’s ‘There’s 32 teams. Who’s going to take me?’ At this point, you’re not a fan of anybody. You’re a fan of who takes you, who’s going to give you a chance to play at this level.”
Skattebo has been projected to be drafted anywhere from the second to seventh round in the 2025 NFL Draft. How he fares at the Big 12 pro day next weekend in Frisco, Texas, will probably impact his draft position.
The 49ers have eight picks in the NFL Draft, and should add four more once the compensatory selections are announced. If they are targeting Skattebo, it's possible they could take him at No. 43 in the second round. He might be gone by the time their next pick comes around in the third round (No. 75 overall).
More Arizona State & Big 12 Analysis
-66e6aeb5014b4c4eeac84ca997f034c9.jpg "Ben Sherman")
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.