San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The NFL is a wild place filled with wouldas and couldas; sometimes, there are shouldas too. The San Francisco 49ers know that all too well. The other 31 teams in the NFL wish they had taken a chance on Brock Purdy in the 2022 NFL Draft. Every team could have selected Purdy, but they passed on the Pro Bowl QB several times. Yet, 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have also had plenty of ‘should have’ moments; apparently, one involves the 2025 NFL Draft.
Related: 2026 NFL QB Rankings Before Week 3: Purdy and Mahomes Soar After Big Games
49ers’ Kyle Shanahan ‘Loved’ Cam Skattebo in 2025 NFL Draft Class
NFL: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
Sep 13, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) carries the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Every year during the NFL Draft, there are cases where teams miss out on some of their top targets, but there’s nothing they can do but admire them from afar once a player is selected. Teams may have a certain draft-round grade on a player, viewing them as a fifth-round talent, but all it takes is one other team to have a higher grade, and that prospect may wind up getting drafted earlier than anticipated.
That seems to be what happened in the 2025 NFL Draft to the 49ers, who, according to current Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh, were big fans of Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo. Saleh, whose Titans play Skattebo’s New York Giants on Sunday, was still in San Francisco as their defensive coordinator at the time, and he had a first-row seat for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who, per Saleh, “loved” Skattebo. Yet, Saleh made it clear that he’s high on the 24-year-old running back too.
“He’s cool man, I like him. He’s like the old school 2010 Madden Hit Stick. Lower your shoulder, run people over, plays his ass off. Lots of energy. I know going into the draft, we were actually about to draft him in San Francisco. Kyle (Shanahan) loved him. He ended up getting taken right before we were picking and I think we ended up with C.J. West, who was a pretty damn good player too. He’s a spark plug.”
Robert Saleh on Cam Skattebo
#Titans HC Robert Saleh says the #49ers were prepared to draft RB Cam Skattebo last year, but the #Giants took him right before they were on the clock.
“Kyle (Shanahan) loved him.” pic.twitter.com/6g5d2WH7IH
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 23, 2026
Unfortunately, the Giants got to Skattebo before the 49ers could, by making him the 105th overall pick in the fourth round. Yet still, the 49ers had their chances to take the physical tone-setting running back too. They were never going to spend the 11th overall pick on him, opting to take Mykel Williams instead. Though Skattebo feasibly could have been in play with their second pick, in the second round at No. 43, they opted for defensive tackle Alfred Collins.
Of course, picking a running back in the second round was likely far too heavy of an investment for a team that has Christian McCaffrey, so the Collins selection makes sense. Yet, the 49ers selected linebacker Nick Martin with the 75th overall pick in the third round, and he’s played in just seven games since. The 49ers even had the 100th pick near the end of the third round, but opted to select cornerback Upton Stout instead. Skattebo went five picks later at No. 105 to New York.
Yet, as coach Saleh said, it sounds like the 49ers were happy with getting West too, who has started both of the team’s games this season. But maybe not quite as happy had they taken Skattebo, who would have ended the 49ers’ concerns about their backup running back, and they wouldn’t have had to invest the 147th pick in the fifth round on Jordan James, or the 90th overall pick in the third round on Kaelon Black back in April.
Related: 1 NFL Player From Each Team Who Will Disappoint in Week 3, Including Bo Nix