Former NY Jets draft pick lands with perfect team to revitalize career

Sometimes all a player needs is a change of scenery to unlock their true potential. For former NY Jets running back Israel Abanikanda, his new opportunity might be the perfect environment to help him finally reach his ceiling.

Abanikanda was waived by the Jets on Monday after the team signed running back/return specialist Kene Nwangwu to their active roster. The Jets hoped to re-sign Abanikanda to their practice squad if he cleared waivers, but that proved to be wishful thinking.

The San Francisco 49ers claimed Abanikanda off waivers on Tuesday following injuries to Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason. Abanikanda joins a 49ers team with only one healthy running back on their active roster, third-round rookie Isaac Guerendo.

The former Pittsburgh standout has a golden opportunity to not only carve out a future role in San Francisco but also play an immediate role in the most running-back-friendly system in the NFL.

Former NY Jets RB Israel Abanikanda could thrive with 49ers

A fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Abanikanda played sparingly as a rookie and struggled to make an impact when given opportunities later in his rookie season.

Abanikanda rushed for just 70 yards on 22 carries, averaging a lowly 3.2 yards per carry in six games. He also couldn't carve out a role on special teams, even fumbling one of his only two kick return attempts.

The Brooklyn native never gained the trust of the Jets' coaching staff and found himself firmly on the roster bubble entering the summer of 2024 after the team added rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis in the NFL Draft.

Abanikanda showed signs of growth in the summer and fought his way onto the 53-man roster. Unfortunately, he was unable to secure a spot ahead of Breece Hall, Allen, and Davis, and was rendered a healthy scratch every game this season.

It didn't come as much of a surprise when the Jets opted to release him this week. That said, a change of scenery might be exactly what Abanikanda needed.

The Jets drafted the speedy Abanikanda to be a fit in their wide zone offensive scheme in 2023, but that scheme changed dramatically in 2024 following the team's offensive line overhaul. Abanikanda never found his footing in a Jets offense that relied much more on a power run scheme.

In San Francisco, however, Abanikanda will return to the scheme he was drafted to play in — a scheme that emphasizes his strengths as a player. It's also a scheme that has notoriously produced big numbers from relatively obscure running backs.

Instead of toiling away on the Jets' bench for the remainder of the season, Abanikanda now has an opportunity to play an important role in a running-back-friendly scheme that perfectly suits his skill set. This is a dream opportunity for the New York native.

At just 21 years old, Abanikanda has an opportunity to find a new home in San Francisco. Sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side.

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