The most improved player on the 49ers through three days of training camp arguably is backup running back Jordan Mason.

The third-year pro looks like a young Marshawn Lynch on the practice field, and he has taken incredible strides as a route runner and a receiver. And his teammates and coaches have noticed.

Here's what offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Foerster said about Mason on Friday, courtesy of the 49ers p.r. department.

Q: RB Christian McCaffrey said yesterday that RB Jordan Mason has improved a ton since Christian first got here. We've always seen that Jordan's a good ball carrier, but there's so much more to playing running back. Where have you seen the improvements with Jordan?

FOERSTER: “Yeah, all of the above. He's become a better ball carrier. He was just such a hard running, strong, physical, tough guy that he gained yards, sheer-willed himself in the yards. Now, he's understanding the playbook better. [Running backs coach] Bobby Turner coming back into the building has been, not that anything was wrong with [former assistant head coach/running backs] Anthony Lynn, it's just that he and the two guys have clicked, so that's really helped. And then he's just matured as a player. He’s had a chance to run more routes. He's had a chance to watch Christian run routes. It's a huge benefit to not only be coached well, but to have a guy that's premier at doing it and go like, ‘Oh, I can see how that's done a little bit better. And it's a guy that I'm right here with, and I know the guy.’ So it's helped him in every facet. He's really taken off. It's really exciting to see.”

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/ as Chris Foerster on 49ers RB Jordan Mason: "He's Really Taken Off.".