Introducing 49ers Running Back Salvon Ahmed
I interviewed Kaila Olin of HuskyMaven about 49ers new undrafted free agent running back, Salvon Ahmed. Olin covered Ahmed at the University of Washington -- she's an expert. Here's a transcript of the interview.
Q: Tell us about Ahmed's background. How did he become Washington's starting running back in 2019?
KO: "He is from Kirkland, Washington, so his house is only about a 10-minute drive from Husky Stadium. He went to a 3A high school -- 4A is the biggest we have in Washington. He was the 3A Offensive MVP. So, Washington head coach Chris Pedersen really liked him, because Ahmed wanted to be the hometown hero who could make a statement. Somebody Pedersen could really develop. And I think he saw that in Salvon, because Salvon continuously grew as a player throughout high school, even after he was recruited. That helped him transition when he fell behind Lavon Coleman, Myles Gaskin and so on -- a lot of great running backs. Ahmed was the ninth running back of the past 10 years to run for more than 1,000 yards in a season at Washington. Ahmed continuously grew, and that's how he came into Washington -- continuously growing."
Q: When you say Ahmed continuously grew, do you mean physically or in terms of maturity and skills?
KO: "Maturity and skill. He also bulked up a little bit. He wasn't that small, but he gained more muscle mass, especially when he was working with FSP, the sports performance center we have up here. Overall, he became more of a film rat. He and quarterback Jake Browning would constantly study film, so Ahmed grew that way as well."
Q: What does Ahmed do best?
KO: "He's picky, which has been a bit of a downfall in his career at Washington. But when he finds that hole, he's gone. They say with patience, when you wait for it, it comes to you. That's what he does. He's a little bit more patient, which gives the defense time to catch up to him but, if he finds that hole, he's gone and defenders don't catch him. That's how he ran for 86 yards against Oregon State. He found that hole and he was gone."
Q: Where did he makes his biggest strides at Washington?
KO: "He was the No. 2 behind Myles Gaskin, who is now with the Miami Dolphins. And Gaskin started as a true freshman, so he was always getting playing time. He was the go-to guy. He was Jake Browning's right-hand man. So if there was a hand off, it was going to Gaskin. The only time it went to Salvon was when Gaskin wasn't in or wasn't having a good game. And so, with Gaskin gone last season, Ahmed had the opportunity to be the No. 1. He had a lot of experience from kickoffs, but when he got the opportunity to be the No. 1 running back, he excelled."
Q: Where could Ahmed improve?
KO: "He needs to get back to his old self. He ran a 4.62 at the Combine, which is insane. No one understood happened. Husky fans and reporters were scratching their heads because he ran a 4.32 at the Husky Combine the year before. And when you watch his film, you don't see 4.62 at all. His time put coaches off of him, because you don't want a slow running back. That's your job, to run and to run fast. So, getting back his speed. And his mentality -- I think he can improve by not being so picky. Because in the NFL you're not given as much time to find that hole. You have to push through. He needs to get rid of that stutter step in the backfield."
Q: What does he need to do to become a successful NFL running back?
KO: "I think the 49ers are a really good fit for him, in terms of developing running backs who weren't drafted. Ahmed has the potential. He has the film. He has to want to do so, and he has to really fight for that position. He always has fought for it, in terms of beating those upperclassmen who were already in there, but never really got much playing time. I think we saw in the Super Bowl that running is a big strong suit for the 49ers. And so, if Ahmed can do that, he can be successful, especially with the 49ers. He has a three-year deal, so they're saying, 'We want to give you this opportunity; you just need to earn it and prove to us why you deserve to be here for three years and then some.'"
Q: Interesting. So if things work out for Ahmed, it seems he could have a role in the offense as soon as 2021.
KO: "He needs to stay healthy. That's what it comes down to. He only missed one game last season because of an injury. That injury continued to bother him throughout the season, but he has had enough rest time. So as long as he's really doing those workouts and putting in that time in the film room and in the gym, he should be just fine."
Q: What was the injury?
KO: "It was a shoulder. Instead of carrying the ball on his right side, he transitioned it to the left."
