The San Francisco 49ers may have found an undrafted gem in running back Kaelon Black, and he is already turning heads among the team’s established veterans.
Speaking on the 49ers Talk podcast with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco and Jennifer Lee Chan, All-Pro fullback Kyle Juszczyk couldn’t hide his excitement about the rookie’s physical readiness and sudden explosiveness during offseason workouts.
“I’ve been so impressed by Kaelon Black,” Juszczyk said. “He No. 1 is a ball of muscle. This guy is absolutely jacked and he’s explosive. That’s really what has stood out to me is how twitchy and explosive he gets through that hole.”
For a much-maligned third-round pick from Indiana, making an impression during unpadded practices can be a challenge, but Black’s sheer physicality has broken through the limitations of spring football. Juszczyk noted that even without pads, you can feel the force of a running back’s burst when you are engaged in a block ahead of them. Black’s ability to hit the line of scrimmage with conviction has given the coaching staff and his teammates an early glimpse of his visual upside.
Beyond the raw physical traits, Juszczyk highlighted Black’s mental approach to the game, an attribute that is mandatory for survival in Kyle Shanahan’s complex offensive system.
“Been really impressed with him physically, mentally as well,” Juszczyk added. “Like just a guy that seems to get it, that works hard, that cares about the classroom. So, I think there’s a lot of good things ahead for Kaelon, and I think he’s going to help us.”
With training camp approaching, Black has positioned himself as a legitimate player to watch. If his classroom diligence translates to the field when the pads come on, the 49ers might have an incredibly reliable, low-cost contributor ready to push for a spot on the 53-man roster. He’ll be fighting for the RB2 spot with Jordan James, but it sounds as if he might already have a leg-up on some of the other established players on the roster heading into training camp.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Kyle Juszczyk raves about 49ers rookie ahead of training camp
