James is a familiar name to college football fans, having been the starting running back for a team that was ranked No. 1 for much of the 2024 season. Let's find out more about him as he joins the running back room in San Francisco.
Adding depth
As 49ers fans know, head coach Kyle Shanahan loves to have a deep crop of running backs. Very often he needs them, considering how often those backs tend to get injured.
With Elijah Mitchell leaving the team in free agency, the 49ers headed into the spring with Christian McCaffrey, Isaac Guerendo, Patrick Taylor, and Israel Abanikanda as their running back room. Taylor saw game experience as a running back and on special teams last season, so he will likely be in a competition with James for the third spot behind McCaffrey and Guerendo. It's also certainly possible the 49ers could keep four running backs, as they have done in the past. Either way, James seems to have a strong chance at being on the roster in Week 1.
High school star who took a U-turn
James was a prolific high school player in Tennessee. He played three seasons at Oakland High School in Murfreesboro and one at Brentwood Academy. He ran for over 3,400 yards over his junior and senior seasons and scored 52 total touchdowns while winning all-state honors twice and two state championships.
James was one of the top running back recruits in the country in 2021 and seemed to be heading to the University of Georgia. But those plans took a major detour when Oregon hired then-Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning to be their head coach. James flipped his commitment to Oregon on National Signing Day in 2022, ending a 10-month commitment to Georgia.
Steady climb
James had a somewhat modest start to his career at Oregon, running for 189 yards and five touchdowns on 46 carries as a freshman. His numbers improved to 759 yards and 11 touchdowns on 107 carries as a sophomore, then he emerged as a second-team All-Big Ten player in 2024 with 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns.
One of his highlight performances came in a regular-season win over eventual national champion Ohio State. James had 23 carries for 115 yards in a touchdown in Oregon's 32-31 win.
"He runs like he's pissed off all the time," Lanning said, per The Oregonian. "We see it every day in practice. You know, before the game started, he came to me and said, 'Coach, I got you.' And I know when he said that, he meant it. He took advantage of those opportunities he got today."
Tough runner with ball security
James isn't the fastest (4.55 40) or most explosive runner, but he'll give the 49ers someone who can dish out some punishment.
"He seeks contact and is willing to cut when necessary while simultaneously showcasing discipline to step up, close down angles, stand in to punch, and use his hands," wrote Kyle Crabbs of the 33rd team.
James is also known for holding onto the football. In 386 carries at Oregon, James did not put the ball on the ground once.
Highlights
James describes himself as "a guy that can do everything, fit into any scheme -- pass block, catch the ball out of the backfield."
"I run physical," James said. "I'm in between the tackles. I get vertical -- a north and south runner. I'm not much of an east and west guy."
Watch James in action below:
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