49ers draft picks 2015: Mike Davis scouting report

When the 49ers drafted Mike Davis with the 26^th pick in the 4^th round of the NFL Draft, it marked the seventh straight year they've selected a running back. While remarkable, it wasn't a surprise as many figured GM Trent Baalke would look to find a back up to expected starter Carlos Hyde at some point in the draft. Davis battled nagging injuries and didn't meet expectations in 2014 but he has tremendous talent.

The Basics:

Height: 5'9"
Weight: 217 lbs
Arm Length: 30 1/4"
Hands: 9 3/8"
40-yard dash: 4.61 (4.52 at pro day)
Bench: 17 reps
Vertical Jump: 34"
Broad Jump: 116"
Shuttle: 4.18
3-cone: 7.0

Pros:

• Natural balance ability to keep his feet moving to the hole and through contact.
• Possesses enough lateral quickness to be dangerous.
• Uses compact frame to his advantage when picking through holes.
• Displays good vision finding cut back lanes.
• Old-fashioned physical, north-south runner that rarely gets knocked backwards.
• Surprising speed in the second level.
• Willing pass blocker.
• Decent hands out of the backfield totally 72 receptions over his colligate career.

Cons:

• Wasn't the same running back in the 2014 from 2013. Reportedly had some conditioning issues in 2014 that may have attributed to his inability to stay healthy.
• Won't blow anyone away with his speed.
• As any young running back does, he'll need to improve his pass pro technique.
• Durability concerns after falling off late in 2013 and struggling in 2014.
• Unlikely make many defenders miss in the open field with flashy athleticism, just not his style.

Doing your homework:

Watch Davis' game from 2013 vs. Georgia and you'll see the potential.

Watch Davis vs. that same Georgia team in 2014. The difference is quite noticeable.

You can see other games from Davis over at DraftBreakdown.com

What others are saying:

• Check out Niners Nation's David Neumann's comprehensive film breakdown of Davis.
• Davis learned about Colin Kaepernick's arm strength first hand

Kaep owe me a new thumb

— IG MikeDavisRB (@MikeDavisRB) May 21, 2015

Conclusion:

The selection of Davis was my favorite for the 49ers. In what was considered a deep RB class the 49ers patience was rewarded getting starting caliber talent like Davis late in the fourth round. There's a little bit of Frank Gore in Davis' game aside from just the physical comparisons. Davis' north-south, feet churning, not too flashy, physical style will be a nice fit for the 49ers gap scheme.

If Davis stays motivated and conditioned he could have an immediate impact for the 49ers.