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The San Francisco 49ers surprised some folks Friday evening as they drafted Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde after a pair of trades. The 49ers have a fairly full running back depth chart, but there are enough question marks that adding Hyde makes sense in the bigger picture.
Hyde spoke with Bay Area media on a conference call Friday evening. I've posted the transcript below, and it's safe to say Hydeis confident in what he can do. Hyde seems ready to get in there and compete for whatever he can get, and is prepared to take the starting job at some point. My favorite line of his call was describing his running style:
“I would describe my game as violent. And what I bring is I play with a lot of passion. I feel like guys can feed off of that. They see how hard I run the ball and how much determination I run with and I feel like guys can feed off that.”
Hyde measured in at 6' 230 pounds. While the 49ers previously had a big back in Anthony Dixon, he never seemed to run like a big running back. It sounds like that should not be too much of a concern with Carlos Hyde. And on a side note, his nickname is El Guapo. Apparently an Ohio State blog bestowed the nickname upon him and after pushing it for a while, he took it and ran with it. This entertains me to no end.
At what point did you realize you were on the 49ers radar?
“I actually got a call last week from the 49ers scouts. And we had a really good conversation. And he had mentioned to me that if I’m around when it’s the 49ers turn to pick, they were really considering picking me up. So, that’s when I really realized I was on the radar for them.”
Why do you think they drafted you?
“They feel like my skill-set can really help them out. What I do, what I bring to the game, I think personally they feel that can really help them get to that next level and get that (Lombardi) Trophy.”
And how do you feel about landing in San Francisco?
“I feel great. I’m so excited to get out there. They have [RB] Frank Gore. That’s a guy that I compare myself to. That’s the guy that I watched in the NFL that plays really well.”
Frank is going into the final year of his contract. Are you thinking about possibly being the heir apparent to Frank Gore?
“I am definitely going to get there and compete to get that starting job and keep that running game alive that Frank Gore brought to the 49ers.”
There’s going to be a lot of competition obviously for playing time. Is that something you welcome?
“Definitely. I embrace competition. I love competing. I feel like competition brings out the best in me. So, I’m really looking forward to getting out there and competing right away. And might bring some to my game that I haven’t seen. So, I’m looking forward to getting out there and compete.”
Do you see yourself as competing for the starting job with Frank Gore, and being able to win it?
“Like I said, I’m going to get in there and work my hardest to get that job. And if I’m fortunate enough to get that starting role, I’m embracing it and I’m going to take it from there.”
How do you describe your game and what do you bring to the 49ers?
“I would describe my game as violent. And what I bring is I play with a lot of passion. I feel like guys can feed off of that. They see how hard I run the ball and how much determination I run with and I feel like guys can feed off that.”
What were you thinking when running backs were getting passed up throughout this draft, it took about 53 guys to go before a running back came off the board?
“I was just being patient. I was telling myself, just be patient. There are teams that are out there that know what you can do and know what your skills are that can help their team. So, just be patient.”
You were suspended the first three games of last season, do you feel that had an impact on your draft status? And how much did the 49ers inquire about your situation?
“I don’t really think that had too much of an impact on it. That was the first incident I’d ever been in in college, and I haven’t been in any trouble again after that. So, I don’t think that had an impact on it at all. And the Niners actually asked me about it one time and that was at the Combine. But, that was the first time they met Carlos Hyde.”
What did you tell them, the same thing you told us?
“I told them exactly what happened.”
Did you make a visit out here as well?
“No, I didn’t make a visit.”