49ers Undrafted Free Agent Named 'Rookie to Watch' Entering Season

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Kyle Shanahan, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

IF you have followed Mike or Kyle Shanahan during their head coaching career, you have probably heard plenty about the plethora of unknown running backs who have produced big seasons in the NFL.

Well, one undrafted free agent runner who was scooped up by the San Francisco 49ers was named a ‘rookie to watch’ entering the upcoming 2025 NFL season.

Could Corey Kiner be the Next Great Undrafted Shanahan Running Back in the NFL?

When you think of the productive backs who have played in a Shanahan offense to come out of nowhere to have great seasons, names like Alfred Morris, Mike Anderson, and Olandis Gary all come to mind.

Well, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports believes undrafted free agent RB Corey Kiner from Cincinnati is a rookie to keep an eye on during the next few months leading up to the 2025 NFL season.

Trapasso wrote, “Kiner isn’t flashy. He’s not uber-explosive, nor super-speedy. He doesn’t truck linebackers. He’s just a free-flowing, plus-vision back who gets more than what’s blocked for him on a routine basis. All the No. 26 running back recruit in the high school class of 2021 did was force a ridiculous 82 missed tackles on a mere 204 carries for the Bearcats in 2024.”

Kiner had a productive career in college with over 3,000 yards from scrimmage and 16 total touchdowns over his 45 games at LSU and Cincinnati. Kiner really shined once he was thrust into a leading role over the last two seasons, producing back-to-back 1,000 rushing seasons while catching 10+ passes with the Bearcats.

Trapasso added, “Now, there is a logjam of runners in San Francisco. All will start ahead of Kiner on the depth chart. But is there a coach in the NFL who cares less about draft position and/or has more of a propensity to deploy an onslaught of backs than Kyle Shanahan? No one. Remember the name if the 49ers have a need to work deep into their running back room in 2024 and beyond. Kiner can ball.”

Will Corey Kiner Make the 49ers’ Final 53 Man Roster?

Trapasso mentioned the depth chart ahead of Kiner, which likely helps Kiner’s case to potentially earn a roster spot in 2025.

The 49ers parted ways with both Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason this offseason, which leaves Isaac Guerendo, Patrick Taylor, and fellow rookie Jordan James as his immediate competition for a spot on the depth chart behind Christian McCaffrey.

Expectations need to be tempered for these potential backup running backs in San Francisco entering the 2025 NFL season. If McCaffrey enters the year — and stays — healthy… Then there probably isn’t going to be much work for any other Niners’ ball carrier this season. After all, McCaffrey is just one season removed from generating over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 21 total touchdowns.

Yet, McCaffrey is quickly approaching 30 years old and had an injury-plagued 2024 campaign that impacted his effectiveness last season.

If McCaffrey has another subpar season in 2025, then some of these other backs on the Niners’ roster could step into bigger roles down the road.

If McCaffrey’s injury issues continue into this year, then Kiner and other these Niners’ backs could add to the rich lineage of unknown backs to make an impact in the NFL in Shanahan’s scheme.

Derek Tate covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Heavy.com from 2022 to 2023. His bylines include Pro Football Network, The Athletic, Dr. Roto, Fantasy Focused and NewsNet. More about Derek Tate