SANTA CLARA -- Big things were expected from running back Trey Sermon after the 49ers used a third-round pick to select him in the 2021 NFL Draft.
However, Sermon never carved out a significant role as a rookie.
He was inactive early in the season when Elijah Mitchell surpassed him on the depth chart. Mitchell, a sixth-round selection, took over as the team’s main back.
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Sermon’s status with the 49ers was cast into further question this spring when the organization drafted LSU running back Ty Davis-Price in the third round.
On Tuesday, coach Kyle Shanahan praised Sermon for the dedication he showed during the offseason.
“He has done everything he can,” Shanahan said. “Watching him in OTAs, he was as yoked-up as he could be. He was in as (good of) shape as he could be. Like you could tell the guy learned from his rookie year and wants to do a lot more.”
Sermon appeared in nine games as a rookie with two starts. He sustained a high-ankle sprain in Week 11 against Minnesota and did not play another offensive snap the rest of the season.
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He finished with 41 carries for 167 yards (4.1 average) and one touchdown. This summer, he will compete for a role in the 49ers' offense against Mitchell, Davis-Price and veteran Jeff Wilson Jr.
“I can’t wait until we get the pads on and to watch him and a number of the other guys play,” Shanahan said.