The San Francisco 49ers made 11 selections in the 2025 NFL draft, but only five of them came on the offensive side of the ball, and the first of that group didn’t come until the fourth round when general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan took a swing on Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins with pick No. 138.
With that first offensive pick not coming until Day 3 of the draft, the 49ers don’t have a clear top candidate for the 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race, but Pro Football and Sports Network’s Owain Jones believes that if anyone were to surprise and take home the award this year, it will be running back Jordan James.
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“Over the years, the Kyle Shanahan system has consistently produced exceptional rookie seasons for running backs, including those drafted in later rounds,” Jones wrote. “Jordan James had 1,267 rushing yards on 233 carries in 2024 and has the potential to be the next breakout star in Shanahan’s offense.”
James, 21, was a four-star recruit out of Oalahnd High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, before committing to the University of Oregon over Florida and Georgia ahead of the 2022 college season.
After finding himself behind Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington on the depth chart as a freshman, and just Irving as a sophomore, James took over as the Ducks’ top running back in 2024. In total, James appeared in 37 games over his three seasons at Oregon, rushing for 2,201 yards and 31 touchdowns on 5.8 yards per attempt. He also caught 40 passes for an additional 340 yards and one trip to the end zone.
James is expected to enter his rookie season as the third running back on the depth chart behind Christian McCaffrey and 2024 fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo. McCaffrey’s one of the best backs in the league when he’s healthy, but after missing most of last season with multiple injuries, it’s far from guaranteed that he’ll receive the most touches out of the backfield in 2025. Guerendo has a solid rookie year, rushing for 420 yards and four scores on 5.0 yards per attempt, but if McCaffrey goes down, he’ll likely split time with James.
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Watkins is really the only other Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, as he could get some early run with Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers’ Jordan James named 2025 NFL Rookie of the Year candidate
