Robert Saleh Reveals 49ers Almost Drafted Giants Running Back Cam Skattebo
Titans head coach Robert Saleh shared a draft-day anecdote about San Francisco's strong interest in the now-Giants running back.
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo was nearly drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, according to Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh. Saleh, who was the 49ers' defensive coordinator at the time, told reporters that San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan had a strong interest in Skattebo.
Saleh revealed that the 49ers were "about to draft him" but that Skattebo was selected by another team just before San Francisco's pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The 49ers ultimately selected C.J. West. Skattebo was later chosen by the Giants with the 105th overall pick in the same draft.
Skattebo has emerged as a key player for the Giants since entering the league. In his first 10 career games, he rushed for 527 yards and six touchdowns. Despite an ankle injury that limited him to eight games in 2025, Skattebo returned strongly in the 2026 season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, accumulating 81 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Giants' victory.
Shanahan's track record for evaluating talent, particularly at the running back position, suggests Skattebo was a player of significant interest to the 49ers. The potential backfield pairing of Skattebo with All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey was a "what-if" scenario Saleh highlighted.