Niners could be tempted with pick
Would club think about drafting a quarterback to learn under Garoppolo?
Jimmy Garoppolo didn’t lose his job to Tom Brady. Nor will he next year to Kyle Shanahan favorite Kirk Cousins.
Is there a quarterback lurking in the draft who eventually could seize the 49ers’ quarterback throne?
Easy there, this does not mean the 49ers are trading up and drafting Joe Burrow No. 1 overall, which is about the only offseason rumor that hasn’t surfaced to threaten Garoppolo’s job security.
The 49ers are not looking to replace Jimmy G. Not now. He just steered them to the Super Bowl in his first full season as a starter, and in his first season back from serious knee surgery. His unthreatening understudies also remain in place: Nick Mullens and C. J. Beathard.
Simply, the 49ers’ offensive needs are for more pass catchers and pass protectors, rather than a new passer.
Any addition likely would be as an undrafted free agent or Day 3 flier, more so for depth and insurance than as a true challenger to Mullens or Beathard to simply back up Garoppolo.
A burning desire to change quarterbacks likely would have triggered the seismic acquisition of Brady, who reportedly had the 49ers atop his wish list before heading to Tampa Bay.
Will there be a need in 2021 or ’ 22? Probably not. But, if the 49ers use their No. 31 overall pick on a quarterback, they could slowly develop him and
hold his rights for five years.
Here is a closer look at the 49ers’ draft need at quarterback: DRAFT PRIORITY » Low FIRST-ROUND CLASS » Once Burrow goes No. 1 overall presumably to the Bengals, NFL draft gurus generally project three other quarterbacks for the first round. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Tua Tagovailoa slides because of health and durability concerns. Oregon’s Justin Herbert bypassed last year’s draft to season his strong arm and secure a top-10 spot. Utah State’s Jordan Love has the arm but does he have enough love to sway a first-round pick? FAMILIAR FRAMES » The 49ers’ quarterbacks aren’t mirror images in body sizes, but they’re close. Garoppolo is 6-foot-2, 225 pounds; Mullens is 6-1, 210; and, Beathard is 6-2, 215. Draft prospects roughly in that size window include Jalen Hurts (6-1, 222), Khalil Tate (6-2, 215), Anthony Gordon (6-2, 205), Shea Patterson (6-1, 212), Brian Lewerke (6-2, 213), Jake Fromm (6-2, 219), Cole McDonald (6-3, 215), Kelly Bryant (6-3, 229) and Bryce Perkins (6-3, 215). Fun to imagine the 49ers taking a Jim Harbaugh product in Patterson. LOVE CONNECTION » Perhaps Love should be included in that group. He was compared to Garoppolo last November by TheDraftNetwork. com analyst Jordan Reid, who cited similarities in Love’s quick release, pocket awareness and, well, mixing stellar throws with head-scratching decisions.
Love, a Bakersfield native, is among seven quarterbacks committed to the NFL’s virtual coverage, as are Burrow, Tagovailoa, Herbert, Hurts, Fromm and Jacob Eason, a strong-armed QB who played at Georgia then Washington. DUAL-THREAT QBS » Only four years ago, the 49ers had the NFL’s most potent dual-threat quarterback in Colin Kaepernick. That style, among other things, did not fit coach Kyle Shanahan’s ideals. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson just won NFL MVP honors with his dual-threat ability, and Taysom Hill adds an element to New Orleans’ offense, so perhaps Shanahan considers inserting that twist into his scheme.
If so, four quarterbacks come to mind and worth Day 2 or 3 gambles: Hurts, Tate, Bryant and Perkins. TRADE CANDIDATES » Even after an amazing shuffle of quarterbacks in free agency, several teams could be shopping for solutions in the draft, or perhaps by trading for Mullens or Beathard. Teams potentially in the market: the Cincinnati Bengals, the Miami Dolphins, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Los Angeles Chargers, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington. The Raiders? Probably not with Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota in tow.