NFL insiders hear so much information about team interests leading up to the NFL Draft, making it challenging to discern fact from fiction—or smoke screens. A few weeks before the draft, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reported an intriguing tidbit about a former Louisville running back—the San Francisco 49ers were not just interested, but very interested.
Pauline took to social media to share that, according to what he was hearing, the 49ers had a third-round grade on Isaac Guerendo and were considering drafting him if he was still available at the end of the second day of the draft.
Shortly afterward, Pauline's social media post mysteriously disappeared.
Pauline reported that Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo is on the #49ers' radar. His tweet has since been deleted but can be seen below. #FTTB pic.twitter.com/TgzkNsSsYE
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) April 7, 2024
Initially, the deletion garnered little attention amidst the whirlwind of pre-draft rumors. However, it was remembered when the 49ers selected Guerendo in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Was Pauline onto something significant? Did he reveal the Bay Area team's intentions? And why did he retract the post? Was it at someone's request?
49ers doing work on a lot of Day 3 or PFA running backs. I can't imagine them targeting a back before the 6th round.
But I also can't shake that deleted Tony Pauline tweet on Isaac Guerendo lol
— Steph Sanchez (@Steph49K) April 19, 2024
Following his selection, Guerendo spoke to reporters via Zoom, revealing that the 49ers had always been "on the radar," with consistent communication between the team and his agent, Joe Linta.
Regarding his draft expectations, Guerendo remarked, "It's very unpredictable. So the range was three to five, so I expected to be in that range. I didn't know who was going to go before me or how many running backs it was, but I think mentally, I was prepared for whatever. So obviously, excited to finally get picked. It is definitely a dream come true, but now I'm definitely excited to get to work."
Throughout the evaluation process, Guerendo maintained contact with 49ers running backs coach Bobby Turner, who is known for his frequent calls to prospects. In fact, Turner called Guerendo while he was speaking to reporters via Zoom after being drafted.
"Hopefully, he doesn't get upset. I'll have to get back to him in a little bit," Guerendo quipped.
Guerendo is eager to learn from his new coaches and teammates. A reporter highlighted that Turner not only expects his running backs to understand their own assignments but also those of all 11 offensive players on the field. Is Guerendo prepared for this level of responsibility as a young running back?
"Yes, a hundred percent," Guerendo responded. "I think in this last season, that's definitely something that I was working to improve on. I think that's just something that also is going to just give you a step ahead and I think it's going to help you to play fast.
"For instance, for me, if you don't have to think about it, you're able to play a lot faster. So obviously it's important that you learn that. And I'm excited to get to work with him."
Guerendo adds extra speed to the running back room. His impressive 4.33-second 40-time at the NFL Scouting Combine was the fastest among running backs and tied for the third fastest overall among the then-draft hopefuls.
"I love his speed," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. "We think he's got a lot of speed. All our backs can run, but it's nice to add one who possibly can run a little bit faster just for the change of pace and things like that. We like his running style. His running style, I think, is similar to Elijah's (Mitchell) and the style that he runs with. And he's built that way, and like the 40 that he has."