April 26, 2025
The 49ers selected James in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 147th overall.
ANALYSISJames served as a part-time contributor with Oregon in 2023, when he racked up 107 carries for 759 yards and 11 touchdowns working in tandem with
Bucky Irving. After Irving moved on to the NFL, James took over Oregon's lead back role in 2024 and posted workhorse numbers, carrying 233 times for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns. He didn't test particularly well at the NFL Scouting Combine and isn't viewed as a home-run threat, but he's quick to find the hole and get downhill. James joins a 49ers team that dealt
Jordan Mason to the Vikings this offseason, leaving him third on the depth chart behind
Christian McCaffrey and
Isaac Guerendo (knee/ankle). Given the shaky health records of both McCaffrey and Guerendo, there's a non-zero chance James will see the field as a rookie.