We wondered how long it would take for the San Francisco 49ers to select an offensive player. They took a wide receiver at the end of the fourth round. Now, to begin the fifth round, they selected Jordan James from Oregon.
The 49ers were all over Oregon’s pro day, so they must’ve liked what they saw from James. At 5’9 1/2, 205 pounds, James ran a 4.55 40-yard dash. That’s around the same time that Jordan Mason ran.
In the passing game, James had 27 targets this past year for 180 yards. He lined up in the slot 19 times and also had 40 reps as a pass blocker. He allowed four pressures in those attempts.
James averaged 5.7 yards per carry on 206 attempts this past season. He forced 53 missed tackles and had 36 carries of at least 10 yards. For what it’s worth, PFF gave him an 87.7 grade.
James is a little undersized, but he possesses the vision and contact balance necessary to succeed at the position. He’s also a 3-year junior, so there’s plenty of room for him to grow as a player. James’ best trait might be his ball security.
James probably plays a step or so faster than he ran, but he’s not a speed demon. Despite his size, I considered him more of a tough power back than your typical 200-pound back. James was productive at Oregon, as 36.5 percent of his carries resulted in a first down or a touchdown.