San Francisco 49ers running back Marcus Lattimore has revealed his wish to begin practising with his teammates at the earliest possible opportunity.
Lattimore was considered one of the best backs in the NCAA before an injury in October 2012 saw him dislocate his right kneecap and tear three knee ligaments while playing for South Carolina.
The 49ers took a punt on Lattimore in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but the youngster is yet to don team pads and is on the non-football injury list, meaning he cannot play but could soon be allowed to practice.
The rookie told the Sacramento Bee: "It would be important to have my mind ready for the next year. I'm real excited about it. Everything feels good and I should soon be out there.
"Being off the field, I now know so much about the game in the last four months, [more] than I've learned in the last 18 years. So it's been big for me."
Without Lattimore, the 49ers have rushed for the fifth highest amount in the league this year, with 1329 yards to their name through nine games so far.
Joe McPhee
