Whenever you talk about the San Francisco 49ers and Kyle Shanahan, the primary offensive position is running back, which comes as no surprise that Shanahan and Co. selected not one, but two running backs in the draft of the NFL last season.

However, could they be done at the post?

Currently, the 49ers welcome rookies Elijah Mitchell and Trey Sermon to the roster alongside veteran Jeff Wilson Jr. and Jamycal Hasty, who just completed his second season with the 49ers. However, the 49ers entered the final draft with a similar number at the position, but opted to add talent to an already crowded room to account for the many injuries that regularly occur at the position. And, the gamble paid off, as Mitchell was put on duty after multiple injuries and ended up with a productive season of 207 carries and 963 yards.

Who could this player be in the NFL Draft?

Earlier in the offseason, after the combine, I highlighted five running backs who could potentially find their way to the 49ers in the draft, due to a combination of their speed, size and their reception capacity.

However, if the 49ers choose to target the running back position later in the draft, there is a certain dormant candidate who could be well utilized by newly acquired running backs coach Anthony Lynn: running back from Alabama State Ezra Gray.

Gray, a four-year-old team captain at Alabama State, has had good volume during his career, racking up more than 100 runs in three of his four college seasons, despite serving on a committee of ball carriers.

The 5’9, 185-pound running back not only has the ability to be a running back, but also potentially a slot receiver in the NFL, catching 41 passes in his four seasons. Additionally, Gray possessed special teams versatility early in his career at Alabama State, en route to being named the all-conference kick returner in 2018, when he returned 26 kicks for 608 yards.

Gray doesn’t just possess the abilities of a football player; he is an intelligent and motivated student, who spends his free time trading stocks and pursuing his interests in technology and business administration, in which he graduated.

Gray surfaced on the NFL radar in a highly touted HBCU performance against Jackson State, led by former NFL superstar turned coach Deion Sanders, where he had 23 carries for 195 yards, including the game-winning touchdown from 50 yards with less than two minutes remaining.

While he may potentially go undrafted, Gray told me he’s not fazed because his main goal, regardless of the draft, is to get the 53-man roster from a team come to training camp.

Gray won’t impress you with his top-tier frame or speed, but his versatility might intrigue NFL teams, possessing good hands in his smaller volume, with the ability to be a special team at worst.

With a number of running backs on the roster, Gray would fit perfectly into a committee role, preserving his body, while maximizing his value at the NFL level.