49ers rookie Kaelon Black addresses draft backlash

San Francisco 49ers rookie Kaelon Black entered the NFL Draft believing he had done enough to warrant at least a third-round selection. Instead, he saw a wide range of projections from analysts, with some slotting him as a fifth- or sixth-round pick, and others not projecting him to be drafted at all.

The 49ers ultimately selected Black out of Indiana in the third round with the No. 90 overall pick, a move that immediately drew criticism from draft analysts who labeled it a reach.

However, head coach Kyle Shanahan defended the selection, revealing that the 49ers had Black graded as the second-best running back in the entire draft—a valuation that differed significantly from the consensus.

"That's just our evaluation of him. Right or wrong, that's our evaluation," Shanahan said.

Black, meanwhile, is embracing the scrutiny and using it as motivation heading into his rookie season. Speaking with Chase Senior of Chat Sports, he acknowledged the outside noise surrounding the pick and believes most misjudged his value.

"It makes me want to go harder," Black said. "I gotta prove my coach right. I'd be lying if I said I haven't seen the backlash that he's been getting for the pick, but we just stay the course, we stay focused, and we're going to keep moving and try to prove him right."

The 49ers are set to begin rookie minicamp this week, giving Black his first on-field opportunity to begin adjusting to the NFL level. From there, he'll transition into offseason work with veterans as he prepares for his debut season with San Francisco.

There is no shortage of 49ers fans among Black's family, so the running back already had a good deal of familiarity with the organization.

"You got [GM] John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan, the mastermind, [the offensive play caller]," Black said. "And then, [RB] Christian McCaffrey, I can't wait to learn from him and [TE] George Kittle. It's just like, watching the film on all these guys, I just see how efficient the offense is ran, and I just can't wait to go out there and show what I could do."

For Black, the draft grade no longer matters. Instead, he'll focus on doing the most with the opportunity the 49ers have given him.