Making the San Francisco 49ers 53-man roster figures to be an extremely tough ask but, of their 2020 NFL Draft UDFA class.
The San Francisco 49ers have one of the deepest rosters in the NFL and the level of talent they have at their disposal makes it difficult to envision many undrafted rookies making the team after the 2020 NFL Draft.
San Francisco has had success with undrafted free agents during the John Lynch–Kyle Shanahan era, hitting on the likes of Matt Breida, Kendrick Bourne and Emmanuel Moseley, while also giving a shot to another former UDFA in Raheem Mostert.
The chance they took on Mostert paid off in a huge way in the 2019 postseason and, while it is tough to predict such success for any of the 2020 UDFA crop, the Niners did some intriguing signees who can afford to have some hope of making the team.
Here we look at three undrafted rookies who have the best shot of landing a spot on the final 53.
Salvon Ahmed, RB, Washington
Even after the 49ers traded Breida to the Miami Dolphins, the odds for another running back to force their way onto the depth chart don’t look great.
Between Mostert, Tevin Coleman, Jeff Wilson and Jerick McKinnon, whom the Niners hope will finally be able to make an impact after two seasons lost to injury, San Francisco looks set at tailback.
The Niners did sign two to undrafted free agent contracts and given the success former UDFAs Mostert and Wilson have had, either Ahmed or former Baylor back JaMycal Hasty making the team cannot be completely ruled out.
Of the two, Hasty carries the greater upside in the passing game but it is former Husky Ahmed who looks more like a Kyle Shanahan back.
Signed to a three-year contract by the Niners, Ahmed possesses impressive vision and changes direction extremely fluidly. He can hit the hole with great burst and, while not a home-run hitter, has the speed to beat defenders to the corner.
The primary area where Ahmed will need to improve is his decisiveness. He can be patient to a fault in choosing which running lane he wants to hit and that won’t cut it a zone scheme where the backs must quickly make one cut and hit the hole.
If he can make strides in that department, then Ahmed could be a success in the 49ers’ run-friendly offense. Ahmed stands out as the likely beneficiary should the Niners elect to save salary cap room by dispensing with the services of a more experienced back.