SANTA CLARA — The 49ers hope to have found another fifth-round gem in running back Jordan James.
The Oregon product already was on the radar of the 49ers' personnel department, but when they visited Eugene, Ore. for the university’s pro day, James became a priority.
Directors of player personnel Tariq Ahmad, RJ Gillen and director of scouting and football operations, Josh Williams, spoke Saturday evening after the conclusion of the draft and shared what they saw.
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SIGN UP HERE “He’s physical and then in the pass game, I thought at the pro day he showed he could catch the football well,” Williams said. “And he’s good in pass protection as well. A guy that made a lot of sense for what we wanted.”
Just as much as James’ pass-catching ability, his ability to move on the field was even more impressive in person. The running back has a knack for quick changes of direction and quickly getting to the second level.
“We love Jordan James,” Ahmad said. “We loved him before, off [of the] tape. He had more burst and acceleration than what we expected. He’s going to be a great fit for us. He will add a lot of value next year."
General manager John Lynch led the team's visit to the Pacific Northwest and was equally impressed by James.
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“We're fired up on Jordan,” Lynch said. “This was a really strong running back class. There was a lot of depth to it. We were pleased that he was still there. And a powerful back. Runs through tackles, has not necessarily tremendous top-end speed, but he's got dart and burst. We think there are some things that will come alive in the way we play that fit our system.”
James didn’t start out his Oregon career as a top pass catcher, but developed into a trustworthy target for quarterback Dillon Gabriel. James caught 15 passes for 132 yards and a receiving touchdown in 2023 before a 26-catch, 209-yard showing last season, which complemented his 1,267 rushing yards.
“I think he was a guy that we all really liked and then going up there,” Gillen said. “Just coming back with more conviction on the player and the fit for us, and also the upside. He’s a young player and showing some abilities that, not to his own fault, but that we weren’t able to quite see as much on film, but we were able to see in the pro day setting.”
Maybe the most important stamp of approval, is that of 49ers alum Frank Gore, who has joined the scouting department as a personnel advisor.
“After we picked, Jed [York] asked, Frank,” Lynch shared. “He said, ‘What do you think?’ And Frank liked him, so that's awesome.”