Kaelon Black declares he's ‘ready to ball' on Day 1 of 49ers rookie minicamp
Running back Kaelon Black speaks to reporters after Day one of the San Francisco 49ers' rookie minicamp on Friday afternoon in Santa Clara.
Kaelon Black declares he's 'ready to ball' on Day 1 of 49ers rookie minicamp originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
How is it being out there for the first time?
It was fun.
I was just glad to be back out there on the field.
just real blessed to, you know, be a pro now, and I'm looking forward to, you know, taking it a step further.
What was it like going in the locker room the first time, getting your jersey, all of that?
Man, it's just like It's just a huge blessing.
I was just like so, like, surprised and just was really trying to take it all in.
They put my locker right next to Fred Warner, so I was just like, "Man," like, "like I said, it's real."
So I'm really here, and I'm just ready to ball.
What do, what do you think about your fit with the 49ers?
I feel like I'm a great fit, man.
I have a lot of confidence in my abilities to play and, you know, I'm just looking forward to, you know, growing with guys like CMC and, you know, Jordan James and Garindo.
So we just looking forward to doing this thing together as a team and, you know, taking it a step further.
You're at JMU, and you catch a bunch of passes the first two years.
Same coaching staff goes to Indiana, and, and you don't.
What, what changed, you know, with that, with that move to Indiana?
Yeah, man, I would just say it was more so like a, you know, a scheme thing, in terms of, you know, we had a lot of receivers that could catch the ball, you know, Elijah Sherratt, Omar Cooper, Charlie Becker, Jonathan Brady, EJ Williams, like all those guys catching the ball.
Anytime Fernando threw it to them, they was catching it.
So I mean, it wasn't really too much of a use for us, you know, in the pass game, but we could do it.
The ability is there.
We have the confidence to do it.
John Lynch has said that the interview with you at the Senior Bowl is what really sold him.
Do you remember anything in particular from that interview?
Man, honestly, I just remember John Lynch being to my right and Pat Willis being to my left.
That's, that was the main thing that I really took, but that was one of the, the interviews that I do remember for that sole purpose.
Again, just the fact that, you know, how genuine the interview was of, of them trying to get to know me.
You had a- Did Pat Willis ask a, a lot of questions too?
Man, he, he didn't say a word.
I just know he was there.
He w- his presence was there, and I felt it.
You had a chance to catch more passes at the Senior Bowl.
Were you happy that you were able to do that there?
Yes, definitely.
just my love for the game.
I love the game of football so much.
I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to, to really sh- like showcase my skills and showcase the things that people say that, you know, hasn't really been shown like that the past two years.
So like I said, it, it's been there and, you know, the opportunity to go to the Senior Bowl was a blessing.
Do you have any, 49ers vets reach out to you yet?
Man, you know, CMC, Fred Warner, Brock Purdy, George Kittle, again, my old IUT mate, Curtis Wart.
Yeah, he was the first one to reach out, so I was just I'm like, "It's here now."
What'd they say to you?
Yeah, but the only Yeah, they're not, they're not You two aren't the only IU guys here.
Yeah.
We got CJ too, and then Makahl.
So it's just like, it's gonna be great to, you know, be around the guys again, make it a little bit more comfortable.
But I feel like, you know, with this great organization that I'm, I'm a part of now, I feel like it's gonna be easy to, you know, get comfortable.
Did Curtis throw the first pass you caught today?
I'm pretty sure he did.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure he did.
That was just like old times, man, just like old times.
What was your mindset with all the information, the new information coming at you today?
Man, just to learn, take it all in, and then, you know, you go back and watch the film, and you get better.
that's the only way that you will get better is to watch it back and, you know, just stay focused.
it's gonna be a lot at once, but eventually, you know, as you look through things and, you know, you stay the course and you don't, you don't just, you know, get too worried about, you know, too much, then you'll be good.
From the outside, it seems like the, the number two tailback role is, is open.
h- has that been Is, is that how you see it?
Has that been sort of explained to you?
Honestly, we haven't even really gotten to talk to that.
it's just more so about, you know, you going out there and working hard each and every day.
you just maximizing your skills and showcasing what you can do so your teammates and coaches can have trust in you.
Got time for a couple more, guys.
How much did communication with Bobby Turner pick up since you were drafted?
Man, it's picked up a lot.
You know, we got straight into meetings and, you know, just making sure that I'm picking up on the details so I'm ready to go as soon as the vets come back.
How much did you know about him before you started getting kind of recruited by him?
Honestly, I didn't know much.
but then when I started to do my research, I was like, "Huh, yeah, he got a good track record."
He done been on some, some great teams and part of some great organizations, so I'm just looking forward to learning more from him.
What's your bracelet say?
Oh yeah, this just says, "In Jesus' name I play," and I got, "I trust the process," and then I got, "I stay humble."
Just things that I live by, you know, to keep me grounded.
You know, and just making sure that I just stay focused through the whole process, man.
I'm, I'm real process-oriented.
You know, even coming from Indiana, you know, being with Coach Smitty, which is one of those things where I apply that to my, my everyday life.
And now that I'm a pro, that's all that matters is paying detail.
How much of a relief- The last one here is it to come to California?
How much of a relief is it to come to California?
Oh, it's gonna be a great one.
it's gonna be a great one.
But I'm excited, man, and I'm just, you know, like I said, I'm excited to, you know, get to work with these guys.
All right.
Thanks, Caleb.
Appreciate it, guys.
Thank y'all.
Thank you.
You guys can head back now.
