San Francisco 49ers running back JaMycal Hasty has earned the George Kittle Seal of Approval. The All-Pro tight end's spot on the roster is secure. Hasty is still fighting to prove himself among a deep group of running backs that features Raheem Mostert, Trey Sermon, Wayne Gallman, Elijah Mitchell, and Jeff Wilson Jr.
Hasty is taking advantage of his opportunities. His reps have increased with Mitchell (abductor) and Wilson (knee) sidelined.
Hasty carried the football 10 times last weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs, producing 63 yards and a touchdown. He also hauled in the one pass thrown his way for a five-yard gain. Unfortunately, Hasty also lost a fumble, which will never earn you points in head coach Kyle Shanahan's mind.
The running back is willing to do whatever is asked of him, though, and hopes his next opportunities are enough to prove his worth.
"I love Hasty. He gives me a Jeff Wilson vibe," Kittle told reporters after today's joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers. "He goes kind of into a dark place, and he just runs and runs, and he's violent, he's explosive. His cuts that you guys see, he just jukes people out, but he still has this nice forward lean to him where he's just always running through contact."
Hasty, who was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Baylor last year, is in his second season with the 49ers. He compiled 148 rushing yards and a touchdown on 39 carries through eight games in 2020 while also serving as a key contributor on special teams. That versatility might be enough to convince the coaching staff that Hasty deserves a spot on the roster.
"He's not the biggest guy and you look like, 'Oh, he's gonna get blown up by a linebacker,'" Kittle continued. "But how he just dodges the big hit and bounces off of stuff, I love that, and he's relentless too. He's a guy that he'll take 10 reps in a row; he does not care. 'Hey, just run 16 power and I'll run it, I'll get hit, I'll get right back up, and I'll run it again.' And I love being around guys like that, that just bring the violence and the energy every single play."
Hasty's next opportunity to prove himself will come on Sunday when the Chargers host the 49ers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
