Houston running back Makhi Hughes is starting to rebuild momentum in 2026, and that’s exactly why he’s beginning to show up as a late-round 2027 NFL Draft possibility for the San Francisco 49ers.
At 6-foot and 210 pounds, Hughes has the kind of frame that fits a heavy workload. He looks built to handle 15-plus carries a game, with the power to operate between the tackles and just enough burst to work the edge when the lane opens. The best part of his game is what happens after contact: he keeps his legs driving, shrugs off arm tackles, and keeps squeezing out extra yards.
He’s not a burner, but he makes up for that with his one-cut style. Hughes sees the field well, plants, and gets vertical quickly once he spots daylight.
If a defender closes off the first path, he can change direction in a hurry. That’s a big reason he’s so tough to pin down behind the line and why he so rarely gets dragged down in the backfield.
The bounceback year at Houston has mattered because of what came before it. Hughes made his name at Tulane, where he piled up 2,776 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns over two seasons. That stretch brought him Freshman All-American honors in 2024 and two All-AAC First Team selections.
Then came the move to Oregon, where the plan was to take the next step nationally. Instead, he got buried on the depth chart and saw just 18 snaps in four weeks. He chose to redshirt for the rest of the year and keep his eligibility intact.
Now he’s back on track with the Cougars, putting together a productive season with 464 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry through seven games. He’s also been a major part of Houston’s early-season success.
Even with the strong return, there are still questions about what happened at Oregon. Whether it was a coaching decision or a case of other backs being preferred, that stretch will matter when teams start weighing his draft value. What’s not in doubt is that his 2026 performance has reminded evaluators of the player he can be.
For San Francisco, the fit makes sense on paper. Christian McCaffrey is 30 years old, and the 49ers need to start thinking about a successor. A back like Hughes could also help lighten McCaffrey’s load and let him shift into more of a change-of-pace role rather than taking on the pounding of an every-down runner.
It’s still early, and Hughes doesn’t have to enter the draft yet. But if he keeps this up, he’s the kind of workhorse back the 49ers could keep in mind for Kyle Shanahan’s system.
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