What Impresses 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan About Kaelon Black

Why Shanahan wanted a running back.

Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan leaves the field after the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers drafting a running back wasn’t expected or high on their list of priorities following an impressive free agency.

Still, the move wasn’t entirely surprising, as the team has made it clear it wants to reduce Christian McCaffrey’s workload to keep him fresh, explosive, and perhaps most importantly, healthy.

With that in mind, the 49ers used a third-round pick on Kaelon Black, adding another option to an already crowded running back room. The selection increases competition ahead of final roster cuts, giving the team multiple backfield options as they shape their 53-man roster in the coming months.

Kyle Shanahan explains the decision to draft Kaelon Black

Indiana's Kaelon Black answers questions at Media Day during the College Football Playoff on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kyle Shanahan emphasized that picking Black was primarily about adding depth to the position group, which is a reasonable justification, even though the team had more pressing needs to address.

"It always starts with me with just who's the most natural running back," Shanahan told reporters on Saturday.

"I love third-down backs, all the pass game stuff that people can bring, but when it just comes to running the ball, you need to have more than one starter. We've gone through a number of years here where we've been through at least four backs.

"Last year was one of the abnormal years where, and it was awesome, but our starting back was able to stay healthy. Usually, it happens a lot, where it's not just the one, it's the two.

"We've gone through four a number of times, and so, what he could do as a true starting running back is what I liked. If you ever had to give him more carries, could he hit the right hole? Can he move the chains when you only block it for three, can he get five? The physicality he ran with, how he broke tackles when he did get into open space, how he didn't sit there and stutter his feet, he just broke to open spots and got yards. And then what he did at his pro day.

"When you see a tough, hard-nosed runner who ends up running the 40 that he did, to know what else is in his body for more explosiveness and stuff like that.

"You know, they didn't throw him the ball a lot, but when you watch his Senior Bowl, you watch his older tape from his other school, you see that he has that skillset that you can really develop and you got a guy you can win with."