The Facts: Entering the NFL offseason, most thought Lattimore would get a chance to compete for snaps in the San Francisco 49ers' backfield behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. After the NFL draft, Lattimore now also has to battle rookie Carlos Hyde. "I look at (it) like it's competition," Lattimore said. "We're going to compete and we're going to bring the best out of each other and we're going to have a great backfield."
Diehards Line:
More than one observer has speculated that the selection of Hyde in the second round was a signal that the 49ers' brass wasn't convinced of Lattimore's progress in his return after taking last year off to let his surgically-repaired knee fully recover. The 22-year-old Lattimore, however, said he hasn't had any setbacks with his rehab. "I'm real happy because I've had no knee problems, nothing in my knee, no soreness, no swelling," he said. Unfortunately, observers suggest he hasn't regained his burst yet. ... We'll be watching for more in coming weeks.