49ers fans didn't see nearly as much of running back Trey Sermon as they might have expected in 2021, but that doesn't necessarily mean the team doesn't like what they've seen from him to this point.
After being selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Sermon finished his rookie season with 41 carries for 167 yards and one touchdown in nine games while taking a back seat to fellow rookie Elijah Mitchell, who set a franchise rookie rushing record with 963 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games. Both backs missed multiple games because of injuries, but Mitchell wasn't expected to outplay Sermon under normal circumstances due in part to Mitchell being selected in Round 6 of the NFL Draft after the 49ers traded up to pick Sermon in Round 3.
So what happened with Sermon? 49ers general manager John Lynch briefly touched on that topic during his NFL Scouting Combine presence on Wednesday, saying Sermon needed more time to adapt to the NFL than Mitchell, then found himself behind on the depth chart after Mitchell took charge.
"Trey, I think, had to make an adjustment to how you run in the NFL," Lynch said. "I think that's natural for rookies. He got into a situation where Elijah was playing a lot as the season evolved."
Sermon was originally projected to possibly be next in line behind starter Raheem Mostert after veteran Jeff Wilson sustained a knee injury in the offseason. But Mitchell moved ahead of Sermon in training camp, then took over the starting spot after Mostert suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opening game. There was also experienced depth on the roster in JaMychal Hasty, then after Wilson's return later in the season and wide receiver Deebo Samuel's emergence in a running back role. That depth plus the injury issues Sermon experienced as the year progressed led to him not finding many carries in the end.
Still, Lynch expressed optimism in Sermon's future, as well as what the 49ers have at running back next season.
"Trey is someone we're really excited about, as we are with Elijah," Lynch said. "We like our depth in that room, and it's not bad to be able to turn to Deebo when you need a player too."
Lynch also revealed a humorous nickname the team has for Mitchell, based on the ability he showed to find room to run. It's one that easily has the potential to stick in the future.
"Elijah came in and had an unbelievable year," Lynch said. "We call him 'Drano' because he always finds the right gap. It's kind of like putting the Drano down the drain and it just finds it. That's what we call him because of his natural run instincts."
