SANTA CLARA — The 49ers got zero contributions from a running back chosen in the third round of the draft for two consecutive years.
The feeling around Ty Davis-Price is a lot more positive this summer.
“At times last year, it just didn't feel like it was the guy we watched in college,” 49ers general manger John Lynch said.
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“But, man, it's been a complete turnaround.”
Obviously, Christian McCaffrey has the 49ers’ starting job locked up. And as long as Elijah Mitchell can get healthy and stay healthy, he should be the team’s No. 2. Mitchell is currently out for at least a week with an adductor strain.
During practice on Thursday, Jordan Mason lined up with the first team, while Davis-Price was next in line for reps.
The competition is for the team’s third back and could mean the difference between suiting up for games or watching the regular season from the stands.
San Francisco 49ers
Mason, who was undrafted after his four-year career at Georgia Tech, established himself ahead of Davis-Price on the depth chart last season as a rookie.
“It didn’t take me long to realize in the run game he was doing a doggone good job and he could contribute,” 49ers running backs coach Bobby Turner said.
Mason (5-foot-11, 223 pounds) appeared in 16 games and carried 43 times for 258 yards (6.0-yard average) and a touchdown. He also worked his way into the action as one of the 49ers’ core special-teams players.
“I thought Jordan had a great rookie year, helped us out a lot,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I think he’s just understanding the offense better as a whole, getting better in the pass game. I definitely think he's taking some strides.”
Because Mason is established and continuing to get better, it will be difficult for Davis-Price to move up a rung on the depth chart. But, at least, he is giving himself a solid chance.
Davis-Price appeared to win the approval of 49ers legend Frank Gore, who jumped in excitement when he watched the second-year player perform a dynamic jump-cut to make a linebacker miss during practice this week.
Davis-Price, the No. 93 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft from LSU, saw action in six games and gained 99 yards on 34 carries (2.9 average).
Davis-Price and Mason were kept on the team's roster a year ago over Trey Sermon, a third-round pick in 2021 who never panned out. Davis-Price (6-foot-1, 219) is putting in the time behind the scenes to make sure he is not a one-and-done player with the 49ers like Sermon.
Lynch can personally vouch for Davis-Price's commitment, as he saw him working out at the team facility at 5 a.m. on a recent day.
“And you're seeing it on the field,” Lynch said. “He's hitting the hole. He's hitting it with the aggressiveness and that downhill style that we like and he's made himself a better receiver in the pass game. He's made himself a better blocker in the run game.
“And Ty's the type of player who's going to shine more when the pads come on because he plays with a tremendous physicality.”
Undrafted rookie running backs Khalan Laborn (Marshall) and Ronald Awatt (Texas-El Paso) are likely competing for available jobs on the practice squad.