Tag: Isaac Guerendo

Some early bad news for 49ers rookie running back

A 49ers rookie is already nursing what appears to be a hamstring injury after one day of camp.

It’s too early in training camp to have a ‘bad’ training camp, but things didn’t get off to a great start for 49ers rookie running back Isaac Guerendo.

Guerendo on Day 1 of camp had to exit the session after pulling up with what appears to be a hamstring injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan after practice said he wasn’t sure the extent of the ailment.

“Yeah, we think it was a hamstring,” Shanahan said. “So it looked like he hyperextended a little bit. He was going about half speed it looked like. So it was an unusual one, but they just told me it was a hamstring. But we got to get the MRI.”

This could be a significant blow for the rookie fourth-round pick in his first camp. Guerendo dealt with injuries throughout his college career as well which is part of the reason such an early issue raises a red flag.

San Francisco’s running back room is crowded with veterans and a talented undrafted rookie Cody Schrader. This hamstring issue could put Guerendo behind the curve in a way that makes it much more difficult to catch up. He was already going to be battling Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, Patrick Taylor and Schrader for a roster spot. Now he’ll potentially have to compete with fewer practices under his belt.

Ideally the injury won’t sideline Guerendo for long and he’ll get a couple practices in before the team’s preseason opener on Aug. 10 in Tennessee.

The good news for Guerendo is his skill set should translate well to the 49ers’ offense. He’s explosive, fast and very good at keeping his balance through contact. If he can get healthy and stay healthy he has a real chance to be a factor in that crowded San Francisco backfield.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

WATCH: 49ers 4th-round draft pick Isaac Guerendo makes tackle breaking look easy

49ers 4th-round RB Isaac Guerendo can MOVE. Check out these highlight clips:

Adding running back depth was such a priority for the 49ers in this year’s draft that they traded two fifth-round picks to slide up to No. 129 in the fourth round to take Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo.

The raw numbers for Guerendo aren’t super impressive. He rushed for 1,392 yards and 17 touchdowns on 231 college carries. He added 358 receiving yards and one touchdown on 42 catches.

Watching him tells a much different story than the numbers though, and it’s clear from his one season at Lousiville that his lack of statistical production hard more to do with injury problems during his time at Wisconsin than his overall talent.

Check out these highlights of the 49ers’ newest RB:

 

 

 

 

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Instant analysis: Will 4th-round pick RB Isaac Guerendo play right away for 49ers?

Can 49ers 4th-round RB Isaac Guerendo break a troubling NFL draft trend for San Francisco?

49ers fans may be holding their collective breath after the team traded up to select running back Isaac Guerendo in the fourth round of this year’s draft. San Francisco ditched a pair of fifth-round picks to jump up to 129th overall pick where they snagged the super-athletic Louisville product.

Running backs taken before Round 6 haven’t had much success in the Kyle Shanahan era. Joe Williams, Trey Sermon and Ty Davis-Price were all selected in Round 3 or 4 and all three flamed out before getting a real shot at playing for the club.

Guerendo could certainly change that though.

He wasn’t a star in college, playing 27 games without a start in five seasons with Wisconsin before transferring to Louisville. With the Badgers he had 99 carries for 582 yards and six touchdowns. Injuries limited him a lot in those seasons. He dealt with two hamstring injuries and a foot injury that lost him for 23 games in three years.

The Cardinals utilized him more though as he got healthy, but he still started only one of the 13 games he played for them. Last season he posted 132 carries, 810 yards and 11 touchdowns while hauling in 22 catches for 234 yards.

His athleticism is evident in the way he moves through and around contact, but he still has plenty of speed to hit home runs.

There’ll be stiff competition for snaps behind Christian McCaffrey with Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason both in the mix. Availability has been an issue for Mitchell though and Mason hasn’t been able to consistently get on the field for offensive snaps. If Guerendo can reliably pass block and catch passes he could push for snaps as a secondary or tertiary option right away,  and he could shoot up the depth chart in future years with Mitchell and Mason both heading for free agency next offseason.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former Wisconsin RB Isaac Guerendo selected by San Francisco 49ers in 2024 NFL draft

Former Wisconsin RB has an NFL home:

Former Wisconsin Badgers running back Isaac Guerendo was selected with the No. 129 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

Guerendo transferred to Louisville after four years with the Badgers. He was a breakout performer for the Cardinals during the 2023 campaign, rushing for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns on 132 carries.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker

He joins a 49ers team that is coming off a Super Bowl loss in the 2023 season. The team is led by running back Christian McCaffery, but Guerendo’s speed should give him a consistent role.

Guerendo did not go directly from Wisconsin to the NFL draft, but he’s still the second former Badger selected, following Tanor Bortolini to the Indianapolis Colts. Former Badger running back Braelon Allen figures to be the other former Wisconsin player selected.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

[lawrence-related id=75349,75031,74984,74691,74654]

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 19, Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers just gave Josh Jacobs a four-year deal and is likely the No. 1 running back at 1265 Lombardi Avenue for the foreseeable future. AJ Dillon is back on a one-year deal and at this moment is a safe bet to be part of the running back rotation. 

With those two in place, the Packers don’t have a pressing need to add a running back early in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

A running back that Brian Gutekunst could target on Day 3 of the upcoming draft is Isaac Guerendo. The Louisville running back checks in at No. 19 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A three-star recruit out of Indiana, and a Wisconsin transfer, Guerendo rushed for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns during his lone season as a Cardinal.

Guerendo won two individual state track titles during his prep career in Indiana. The former track star ran a 10.51 in the 100-meter dash and won a state title in the long jump. Given his track history, it was no surprise that Guerendo clocked the fastest 40 times (4.33) among running backs and tied for the third fastest time among all participants. Guerendo also had the best vertical jump and the second-best broad jump among running backs.

“His top-end speed with his size combo,” Nick Martin, a writer for All Steelers, said. “Even his initial burst is strong to outrun outside pursuit angles, probably why Wisconsin loved him on kick returns and while it takes a bit of a runway to get to that top end, he’s a threat to house it on almost any play. His contact balance is strong at the second and third levels of the defense where he has a better knack for picking up yards through contact and being able to shrug off hits around his ankles. He could stand to be the initiator on contact a little more.”

Guerendo is a home run hitter. With his track speed, he’s a threat to take it to the house any time he touches the ball. If he gets a clear runway he can hit top gear in a blink of an eye. Of his 132 rushing attempts this past season, 22 of them went for 10-plus yards. He has the speed to destroy pursuit angles and outpace defenders. 

The former Badger running back has good contact balance and can be a load to take down once he reaches the second level. He has impressive play strength. According to PFF, Guerendo racked up 543 yards after contact and forced 31 missed tackles. 

“What makes him dangerous in space is his speed outrun angles, as well as his ability to make guys miss,” Martin said. “He needs to play with a lower pad level more consistently, which would allow him to sink and size guys up more in space, but generally relies more on being a one-cut guy.”

During his final two seasons, Guerendo hauled in 39 receptions for 349 yards and one touchdown. He looks natural catching passes out of the backfield and is alert in pass protection. 

“He has reliable hands and strong ball tracking,” Martin said. “If you go back to his days at Wisconsin you’ll see him making strong over-the-shoulder grabs on wheel routes. He’s a capable pass protector too, so you don’t have to worry too much about having him in on third downs.”

Guerendo finished his collegiate career with 31 kick returns and he averaged 23  yards per return. With his speed he could be a dangerous return man at the next level. 

Fit with Packers

Guerendo is an explosive playmaker and could be a nice change of pace back to pair with Jacobs and Dillon. 

“I think Guerendo is best suited to be drafted around late Day 2, or early Day 3 with his skillset,” Martin said. “There are not too many backs in this class that can offer that size-speed combo and with relatively little tread on the tires, he could be a worthwhile investment.”

Guerendo only has 231 carries to his name. There is a lot of tread left on those tires. He’s a well-put-together running back, who could handle a bell-cow-like workload. Given his size, speed and his special teams value, Guerendo would be a valuable Day 3 pick for a team that’s looking to round out their running back room.

Former Wisconsin Badger one of NFL Draft’s ‘under-the-radar day three prospects’

What type of NFL career will Tanor Bortolini have?

Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini was named an under-the-radar day-three NFL Draft prospect by ProFootballFocus.

The versatile lineman set social media by storm with his NFL combine performance last month. He had an up-and-down Wisconsin career on the field, but his pure measurables and athleticism are record-breaking.

Related: Evaluating the Big Ten’s next targets for conference expansion

Bortolini’s college career ends after 27 starts over four years — 13 at center, 13 at left or right guard and one at tight end. He started all 12 games at center for the 2023 Badgers under new offensive coordinator Phil Longo, and allowed only one sack in 477 chances according to PFF.

The former Badger made PFF’s list of interesting day three prospects along with Georgia S Tykee Smith, Washington State CB Chau Smith-Wade, Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo, Northern Iowa DL Khristian Boyd, Florida State TE Jaheim Bell, South Dakota State RB Isaiah Davis, Kentucky and QB Devin Leary.

Here’s what PFF had to say about the promising lineman:

Bortolini’s athleticism will allow an NFL offensive coordinator to get creative with any run concept that requires a pulling lineman, much like how Kelce was used with the Eagles…He is a bit undersized at his position, which tends to pop up in his run blocking, where his grade dropped in each of the past three seasons, bottoming out at 61.1 in 2023. On the contrary, his pass blocking improved in every year of his college career, topping out at 80.3. He surrendered just 23 career pressures across 962 pass-blocking snaps. While Bortolini may need to bulk up a bit, his athleticism is extremely rare for his position and would make him a very interesting pick on Day 3.

Bortolini is projected to be a late pick in the draft, but his stock could still rise between now and April 25.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

[lawrence-related id=74034,73780,74398,73766,74030]

Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo attends Colts local Pro Day

One of the more notable participants at the Colts’ local Pro Day was Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo, who impressed at the combine.

One of the more notable participants at the Colts’ local Pro Day was Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo, who put together a highly impressive NFL Combine performance.

As part of the pre-draft process, each NFL team is able to hold a local Pro Day, where teams invite players who have a “local” tie to the area, whether that be attending college or from a nearby hometown that is within the league-defined parameters that meet the distance criteria.

Guerendo measured in at 6-0 – 221 pounds at the combine. He recorded a near-perfect Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.90–the highest among all running backs at this year’s combine. Contributing to Guerendo’s impressive RAS was a 4.33-second 40-time, along with a 41.5-inch vertical.

Guerendo spent his first four seasons at Wisconsin. He was used sparingly, totaling 97 carries between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but averaged 6.5 yards per carry with six touchdowns.

This past season at Louisville, Guerendo carried the ball 132 times and averaged 6.1 yards per attempt with 11 touchdowns. Guerendo ranked 20th among all running backs in yards after contact and 25th in breakaway rate, with 22 rushes of 10 or more yards and 14 rushes of 15-plus yards.

Relatively speaking, when being compared to other running backs in this class, Guerendo was used sparingly, with just 231 career attempts over five seasons and 48 targets in the passing game.

For a closer look at Guerendo’s game, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote this about him in his pre-draft report:

“Guerendo is built like a prototypical Badger runner, with a thick, well-proportioned frame. He was a much more decisive runner in 2023, but his cut-and-go burst is fairly average. He’s not sudden but runs with appropriate elusiveness, using subtle side-steps to continue the run’s downhill momentum. He can catch it out of the backfield and protect his quarterback, making him a suitable three-down backup. Guerendo’s size, skill set and demeanor are built for an NFL workload, and he could sneak into a bigger role in the future if he continues to progress.”

As I wrote about recently, running back is far from a pressing need for the Colts with Jonathan Taylor under contract for the next few seasons, along with Trey Sermon, Evan Hull, and Tyler Goodson all vying for the backup running back role.

However, the overall inexperience of Sermon, Goodson, and Hull does create some uncertainty, which could lead to GM Chris Ballard spending a Day 3 pick on the position.

In what is considered a so-so running back draft class, Guerendo is PFF’s 12th-rated back and the 139th prospect overall.

2024 NFL draft: Chargers hosting RB Isaac Guerendo for visit

The Chargers are bringing in a workout warrior from the NFL combine.

The Chargers are hosting Louisville running back Issac Guerendo for a pre-draft visit, according to uStadium.

Guerendo finished his lone season with the Cardinals with 132 carries for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 234 yards and had 11 kick returns for 211 yards.

Guerendo played at Wisconsin for four seasons before transferring to play for Louisville. He finished his Badger career with 99 carries, 582 yards, six TDs, 20 receptions, 124 receiving yards and one receiving score.

At 6 feet and 221 pounds, Guerendo is a well-built running back who possesses the speed and burst to make plays on the ground and in the air.

A winner at the NFL Scouting Combine, Guerendo posted a blazing 4.33 official time with a 1.55 10-yard split. His 40 time was the fastest among running backs.

Even though they signed Gus Edwards, the Bolts are still likely to add to the positional room and it appears Guerendo could be a target on Day 3.

Texans to host breakout ACC RB for top 30 visit

Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo will pay a visit to the Houston Texans before the upcoming NFL draft later this month.

As the Houston Texans continue to prepare for the NFL draft later this month, prospects will head to NRG Stadium for in-person visits.

One visit could be worth monitoring given the status of Houston’s running back room entering offseason workouts and it could end up being another key piece to the offense.

According to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo will meet with the Texans before the draft for a top-30 visit. Guerendo is expected to be a mid-round target and a potential option for Houston in the fourth round.

Few players have bolstered their draft stock through the pre-draft process as much as Guerendo. Last month during the combine, he put on a clinic in front of scouts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Guerendo’s 4.33 40-time was the fastest among running backs at the event. His 41.5-inch vertical was the best among backs, while his 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump ranked second.

After transferring from Wisconsin in the offseason, Guerendo posted career numbers while splitting reps with Jahwar Jordan. In 132 attempts, the senior rushed for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns, while adding 22 catches for 234 yards.

Even after trading for and extending Joe Mixon, the Texans remain in the market for another running back. Houston believes the best is still to come with the former Bengals’ star, but the run game woes factored into Houston’s demise during the divisional round loss against Baltimore.

As free agency winds down, sights turn to the draft for a complementary No. 3 option behind the Pro Bowl rusher and third-year back Dameon Pierce. There’s talent found in the current class, but Houston could wait to target someone on Day 3.

Guerendo should be on the shortlist of options for Houston beginning in Round 4. While he’s yet to prove his skills as a lead back, the athleticism would be a welcomed addition to a revamped offense that recently added Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs.

The Texans turned to Devin Singletary as the new leading man by midseason and saw progress in a woeful rushing attack en route to winning a division title. Singletary posted career-highs in rushing yards (898) and carries (216), but it wasn’t enough to bolster a 23rd-ranked unit that averaged 3.7 yards combined.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans emphasized during his final press conference of the season the need to upgrade the run game if Houston hopes to return to the postseason in a revamped competitive AFC South next fall.

“I think as you see as you go throughout this game, especially in the postseason, teams that win games – you’ve got to be able to run the football and sustain it,” Ryans said.  “And we weren’t able to accomplish that versus the Ravens, and it showed up. So, we [definitely] have areas to improve – many different areas – but the run game is one of those areas, for sure.”

The Texans own nine picks in April’s draft, including two second-round picks and two fourth-round picks.

Dolphins hosting NFL Combine standout Isaac Guerendo on visit

After lighting up the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this year, Isaac Guerendo is reportedly set to visit the Dolphins.

The Miami Dolphins will host Louisville running back Isaac Guerendo on a pre-draft visit next week, according to Justin Melo of The Draft Network.

Guerendo spent five years with Wisconsin before joining Louisville as a graduate transfer in 2023. He recorded 1,255 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns in his only season with the Cardinals.

But the running back really turned heads earlier this year when he put together one of the best NFL Scouting Combine performances ever at the position.

Guerendo, who weighed in at 221 pounds, was the fastest back at the combine with a 4.33 40-yard dash. He also led the entire position group in the vertical jump (41.5 inches) and was second in the broad jump (129 inches).

With the duo of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane, the Dolphins aren’t particularly needy at the running back position. Still, Mostert will turn 32 next month and Miami could potential benefit from adding a power back to complement the tandem.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]