Top 10 San Francisco 49ers running backs of all time

5. Ken Willard (1965-73)

Willard was one of the highest-drafted players in 49ers history, as he was selected No. 2 overall in the 1965 NFL Draft. The early returns Willard provided proved he was worth it, as he was named to the Pro Bowl in four of his first five seasons in the league. Willard’s best year of that stretch came in 1968 when he ran for a career-best 967 yards and seven touchdowns, also adding 36 catches and 232 yards receiving. A true threat as both a runner and a pass-catcher, the 6-foot-1 back racked up 5,930 rushing yards in his Niners career – fourth-best all time in franchise history – as well as 2,156 receiving yards, scoring 61 total touchdowns. Willard went on to play one final season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974 before retiring from the NFL.