Marcus Lattimore, a fourth-round pick from 2013, has yet to make his NFL debut as he continues to recover from a devastating knee injury suffered in 2012. However, the speedy running back is practicing with the San Francisco 49ers today.
The former Gamecocks star has been on the non-football injury list since being drafted. While Lattimore did participate in some team practices last year, "there was never any real hope for him to be placed on the 53-man roster," wrote Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
The 49ers currently have Frank Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde as the only running backs on the active roster. It's not a stretch to say that the position could use an infusion of depth. After two years of grueling rehab, Lattimore could be the extra body San Francisco is looking for.
"I've been watching off to the side, and I'm excited to watch him play football again," coach Jim Harbaugh said. "You saw some of it in the offseason, but I think he's further ahead from where he was, two, three, four months ago, and (I'm) excited to see that progress on the field. I'm looking forward to it."
As of Wednesday, the 49ers have a three week window to evaluate Lattimore.
"After that, the 49ers likely will put him on the active roster, perhaps before the team's Nov. 23 game against Washington," Barrows wrote.
"I think we can get him a little extra contact when we have the pads on," Harbaugh said of getting Lattimore back into game condition. "Pass protection, hitting sleds and maybe thudding up a little bit extra outside of the normal practice drills."
Lattimore ran for a total of 2,677 yards and 38 touchdowns on a career 4.8 yards per carry average while at South Carolina.
The 49ers are 10th in the league in rushing yards per game (125).
