The 49ers’ inactive list on Sunday included a surprising name in third-round pick Trey Sermon because he was the No. 2 running back on the depth chart they released ahead of the game, but another rookie made it hard to question the team’s decision.
Sixth-rounder Elijah Mitchell ran 19 times fo 104 yards and a touchdown in the 41-33 victory. The touchdown saw Mitchell take a toss from Jimmy Garoppolo and sprint 38 yards down the right side of the field and the rookie’s debut left head coach Kyle Shanahan in a complimentary mood.
“I thought he did a real good job,” Shanahan said, via 49ersWebZone.com. “That’s kind of what we expected him to do. But it’s always tough in your first game and stuff. He went in there and didn’t hesitate and ran the ball well.”
Mitchell’s role increased when Raheem Mostert went down with a knee injury and Shanahan said that there’s no “firm” pecking order in the backfield, which fits with the way he’s handled the team’s running backs in past seasons as well. If Mostert is out for a bit, Sermon should get a chance to show the 49ers hit on both picks this spring.