The San Francisco 49ers selected running backKaelon Blackout of Indiana Hoosiers football with the No. 90 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Fresh off a College Football Playoff National Championship, Black brings a physical running style, versatility, and a personality that stood out to San Francisco throughout the draft process.
"You can't help but love the kid and everything he stands for," president of football operations and general manager John Lynch said. "We had him as the second-rated back on the board," head coach Kyle Shanahan added on "The Rich Eisen Show."
Here are five things to know about Black:
CFP/Getty ImagesBlack played a key role in Indiana's College Football Playoff National Championship run, finishing his final season with 1,039 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
In the "Old Oaken Bucket" rivalry game against Purdue, he rushed for two touchdowns in a 563 win to secure the program's first perfect regular season. He carried that momentum into the postseason, leading the team in rushing across its final stretch against Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon, and Miami, totaling 241 yards and three touchdowns in the playoff run.
In Indiana's 2721 championship win over the Miami Hurricanes, Black rushed for 79 yards and delivered a key 20-yard gain on 3rd-and-7 to keep a touchdown drive alive.
Vasha Hunt/The Associated PressBlack played six collegiate seasons between Indiana (2024-25) and James Madison (2020-23) and was a key contributor in a versatile offensive role. He earned Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll recognition during his time at James Madison.
Over his career, he appeared in 56 games, registered 496 carries for 2,595 yards, and 17 touchdowns. He also added 55 receptions for over 500 yards and six receiving touchdowns.
His production as a pass catcher earlier in his career makes his upside even higher, adding a dimension to his game beyond just rushing.
Mike Stewart/The Associated PressBlack's downhill, physical running style made a strong impression on San Francisco's staff throughout the team's pre-draft evaluation process. On Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft,Lynch reflectedon the relationship running backs coach Bobby Turner built with Black before the former Hoosier received the life-changing call.
"Kyle (Shanahan) asked Kaelon about Bobby T and his interaction. He said, 'I love Bobby T,' and we all do. Kaelon's his type of guy. He's a hardworking dude, a hard running dude, and such a great kid. That really is one of my favorite interviews."
Turner has long valued toughness, discipline, and coachability in his running back room. Beyond physical traits, he's notorious for challenging players mentally, including weekly written tests designed to keep the group sharp.
"Number one is toughness,"Turner previously said. "I want a young man who is coachable. Someone that's willing to learn and willing to grow."
Black's physical style and work ethic appear to align closely with the traits Turner has built his running backs room around for years.
Marta Lavandier/The Associated PressBlack's love for the game showed up at a young age.
"Kaelon would sit and just watch football for hours and hours," his mother, Stacy, toldNBC Sports Bay Area. "He would be up until 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, watching old games from the black-and-white days. And he'd go to sleep with a football in his hand like a pillow. The passion was definitely there."
His father, William, who played college football at Norfolk State, joked it was always "football instead of cartoons."
Ben Liebenberg/2026 Ben LiebenbergBlack was not among the 319 players invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, but that didn't impact how San Francisco evaluated him.
"You've got a guy who's not invited to the Combine but we thought he was one of the better backs," Shanahan said post-draft.
The 49ers graded Black as one of the top running backs in the class, valuing his physicality, vision, and ability to consistently gain extra yards.
Black also won't be starting from scratch in Santa Clara. He was college teammates at Indiana with current 49ers quarterbackKurtis Rourkeand defensive linemanC.J. West, giving him early familiarity inside the locker room as he transitions to the NFL.
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