The San Francisco 49ers formally hired Adam Peters as John Lynch’s Vice President of Player Personnel on Tuesday. He had previously served as director of college scouting for the Denver Broncos, during which time he was viewed by many as a key cog in the build to the Super Bowl 50 championship roster. Many have noted (the 49ers included) that he was part of a draft process that resulted in 27 players added through the draft and college free agency as part of the Super Bowl squad.
One player who clearly made a connection with Peters is Broncos running back C.J. Anderson. He tweeted out thanks to Peters after word got out that the 49ers had hired him.
Thank you Adam Peters man your the reason why I am here
— Cj Anderson (@cjandersonb22) January 31, 2017
The Broncos signed Anderson as an undrafted free agent out of Cal in 2013. He made limited appearances in five games as rookie, but in his second season, he rushed 179 times for 849 yards (4.7 yards per carry) in 15 games. In 2015, he rushed 152 times for 720 yards (4.7 yards per carry). he spent much of the 2016 season on injured reserve due to a torn meniscus. Prior to the injury he had rushed 110 times for 437 yards (4.0 ypc) in seven games.
The 49ers have a whole host of holes to fill in their roster, and with double digit draft picks this year, the draft will be critical. They have a ton of cap space with which to work, but the draft is where the rebuild will really take a step forward. Hiring a college scouting director for the player personnel role could be a solid step forward in this rebuilding process.