Isaac Guerendo was supposed to watch and observe in his first season in the National Football League with the San Francisco 49ers. After a few unfortunate injuries to starter Christian McCaffrey and backup Elijah Mitchell, Guerendo found himself right behind Jordan Mason on the depth chart. Needless to say, Guerendo has taken his opportunity and ran with it, literally.
Taken in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Guerendo surprised many coaches and scouts with his combine performance. He ran a blazing 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash, all while weighing in at a solid 221 pounds. That is something that is very difficult to do at that size. He has been a pleasant surprise for 49er fans who were feeling a little down after the injuries to McCaffrey and Mitchell. In fact, Guerendo has immensely helped to put their minds at ease. The scary thing for the rest of the NFL is that Guerendo isn’t slowing down any time soon, he’s becoming a force.
Who Is This Guy?
Although he had a solid collegiate career, not many people knew much about Isaac Guerendo. After starting his career at Wisconsin, Guerendo headed to Louisville as a grad transfer to finish his college career. Wisconsin was not the best experience for Guerendo as he dealt with injuries early on. While rehabbing to get back on the field, Guerendo felt that he needed to be a strong force in the community. At both Wisconsin and Louisville, he always took time to teach young kids about football and about life. Always giving something back is something that he carries with him to this day.
Guerendo finished his college career with a solid performance against USC in the 2023 Holiday Bowl, rushing for 161 yards in a losing effort. He was not known for having the most eye-popping statistics in college, but his work ethic was unmatched. Many teammates praised him as being the hardest worker in the room, something that is already apparent in his first NFL season.
Also Read: Christian McCaffrey easing his way back.
In the 49ers matchup against the Cowboys two weeks ago, Guerendo finished with 102 total yards, 85 of those on the ground. His performance has become almost routine at this point. 49er fans know they are going to get a solid performance from number 31, that’s just how it goes. You almost forget that he was the fourth running back on the depth chart earlier this year.
With Christian McCaffrey shelved for a couple of months and Elijah Mitchell lost for the season, the 49ers backfield had to shuffle around quite a bit. Jordan Mason was listed as the starter with this unknown rookie named Isaac Guerendo as the backup. Everyone knew what Mason could do, but how about this Guerendo kid?
After the way he has played thus far in 2024, Guerendo is no kid, he is a full-grown man. He has 37 carries for 227 yards on the season, including his first NFL touchdown against Dallas. Guerendo should have scored his first NFL touchdown against Seattle, but unselfishly slid down right before the goal line, running out the clock and icing the game. That play is an indication of the type of player Guerendo is. He does his job and moves on, something that has been a huge boost for the 49ers backfield.
Learning From The Best
With Christian McCaffrey finally returning to the 49ers lineup, Isaac Guerendo knows he will be watching one of the best running backs in the league. The opportunity for him to watch and learn from McCaffrey couldn’t be more beneficial for his young career. With all the injuries to the 49ers roster this season, the organization could not be happier to have Isaac Guerendo on their roster. His career may just be getting started, but there’s no doubt that he is here to stay. This comes as no surprise as he has prided himself on proving his critics wrong throughout his football career. So far in 2024, Guerendo has emerged as a potential star in the NFL and is only going to get better. If he keeps playing the way he has been, it won’t be long before the entire National Football League knows who Isaac Guerendo is.
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