It is officially NFL draft week.

For the first time in three years, the 49ers will get to be active in the first round. This draft is a big one for the 49ers. They have to be able to find multiple players who are impactful for the foreseeable future since they have failed to do so in the last few years.

Much of that has to do with the positions they draft due to need. It causes them to constantly reach. Last year, the 49ers drafted kicker Jake Moody in the third round. At the time and in hindsight it was an incredibly foolish pick since a kicker can be had in later rounds.

The 49ers are surely not going to take a kicker again this year, but there is one other position they are liable to draft again that has caused them to waste their picks. It is one position they absolutely must avoid in the 2024 NFL draft and that position is running back.

Under no circumstance can the 49ers draft one at ANY point. This team has no idea what they are looking at when it comes to the position. Elijah Mitchell is the only draft prospect that they managed to successfully hit on and he was a fifth round selection.

Aside from him, the 49ers have failed at drafting running backs. It all started with Joe Williams, then Trey Sermon, and lastly it was Tyrion Davis-Price. The 49ers got nothing out of these guys despite investing heavily into them. If they want a running back, then they need to look at undrafted free agents.

The offense is running back friendly. Look at how efficient Jordan Mason is and the 49ers don’t even utilize him. He beat out both Sermon and Davis-Price in the last two years. Not to mention that the 49ers have Christian McCaffrey being a workhorse and Mitchell to spot him when necessary.

Whoever they would get at running back will not be utilized. It will essentially be a wasted pick by the 49ers. So, along with kicker and punter, the 49ers must absolutely avoid running back and draft literally any other position.