The 49ers have signed second-round pick Carlos Hyde, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Hyde was the first running back to come off the board in the 2014 draft.
This wasn’t a great year for running backs in the draft but most recognized the Ohio State product as the best RB available. The 49ers aren’t short on bodies at the position but uncertainty about each of their options led them to tapping Hyde. Longtime starter Frank Gore is in the twilight of his career and entering the final year of his contract. Understudy Kendall Hunter has shown flashes at times, but it’s not clear if he can be the 49ers’ full-time guy. LaMichael James, the club’s second-round choice just two years ago, is unhappy in SF and would reportedly welcome a trade.
Between those three, Hyde, and Marcus Lattimore, the 49ers currently have five notable RBs in their stable.