San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black recorded just 42 receiving yards during his two seasons at Indiana. However, he showcased his ability as a receiver during his two seasons at James Madison, where he totaled 431 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.
Indiana's heavy reliance on its wide receivers limited Black's opportunities to showcase his skills in the passing game. Now that he's in the NFL and playing in the 49ers' offense, Black is eager to demonstrate what he can do as a receiver.
Black showed off his pass-catching ability at the Senior Bowl, helping garner interest from the 49ers, who selected him in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
He believes the 49ers have the perfect offense for his skill set.
"It feels great for me," Black told NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco. "I feel like it really maximizes what a running back can truly do. A lot of the time, running backs aren't asked to catch the ball a lot out of the backfield, but here it's the complete opposite. You're going to go out there, you're going to run these different routes, and you're almost going to feel like a receiver first, sometimes."
Black also has the opportunity to learn from one of the NFL's most versatile running backs. Last season, Christian McCaffrey totaled 2,126 scrimmage yards, including 924 receiving yards. Throughout his career, McCaffrey has established himself as one of the league's most dynamic offensive weapons.
"I feel like CMC is a great picture of that because he's versatile," Black said. "He can do it all, so that's what I'm trying to work up to one day."
Black has been a sponge since joining the 49ers, soaking up as much knowledge as possible from McCaffrey and eager to learn from one of the best running backs in the NFL. Maiocco asked Black what McCaffrey can teach him as he prepares for his rookie season.
"The way that he runs his routes, how efficient he is," Black answered. "When I watch him at practice, he has no wasted movement. And I just asked him the other day, 'What do you do to, you know, limit your wasted movement?' He just says it's all about timing and just being yourself. Just doing the things to work on it off the field. And it's also just mental, just going out there and playing ball."
Black has learned plenty from his coaches throughout his football career, and he plans to continue that process as he begins his NFL career with the 49ers.
For a rookie running back with proven receiving ability, the 49ers' offense could provide Black with an ideal opportunity to expand his role. If he can translate his pass-catching skills to the NFL, Black could become another versatile weapon in Kyle Shanahan's offense.
Mentioned in this article: Kaelon Black, Christian McCaffrey
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