Poll: Which Quarterback Should the San Francisco 49ers Select in the 2016 NFL Draft?

San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke may elect to roll with incumbent quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert to start 2016. But with the NFL draft looming, which QB prospect would be the likeliest to land in SF? Niner Noise wants your take.

The 2016 NFL draft isn’t very far away, and all the hype surrounding collegiate prospects will start to dominate the headlines as teams line up to scout talents in advance of draft day. The San Francisco 49ers are no different and may choose one of several paths to address the most important position in all of sports.

There isn’t any guarantee San Francisco will take a quarterback in Round 1, or at any point, during the upcoming draft. The hiring of head coach Chip Kelly may mean the Niners stick it out with returning signal-callers Colin Kaepernick and/or Blaine Gabbert in 2016.

Still, the notion of grabbing a quarterback isn’t entirely foreign to Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke based on the team’s laundry list of needs.

Kaepernick may have already seen his best days pass him by. And Gabbert likely isn’t viewed as a long-term option here. So this may mandate a QB selection at some point — perhaps even just to create some sort of competition at the position and have some sort of insurance for down the road.

Niner Noise wants you to weigh in on the prospect you feel might be the best fit in San Francisco.

There are plenty of factors going into such a selection. Some listed prospects may not be on the board when the 49ers have a pick — especially their first choice at No. 7 overall.

But let’s assume each of the subsequent quarterbacks are available to the Niners — either via a draft-day trade or on the board when San Francisco is picking.

Here’s the list of plausible candidates with additional information, courtesy of CBS Sports and other resources.

Jared Goff, Cal

6’4″, 210 pounds

"Goff displays passing anticipation downfield, a resilient approach and coordinated feet in the pocket, which are always in sync with his body rhythm and allow him to reset his vision and find the open read.He clearly has room for improvement in several areas, but Goff is the type of quarterback who understands his deficiencies and what he needs to do in order to improve. And that’s why scouts are optimistic for his future.–Dane Brugler & Rob Rang (12/1/15)"

Cal quarterback Jared Goff may be the hyped pick of the draft, and he’s a Bay Area prospect who grew up rooting for the 49ers.

Unquestionably the best signal-caller in the draft, would Goff even be on the boards when San Francisco selects at No. 7? Assuming he falls to the 49ers at their current position, Goff’s selection here would be a clear indication Kelly and Baalke are planning to move on from Kaepernick and Gabbert.

Carson Wentz, North Dakota State

6’5″, 233 pounds

"Although his internal clock needs maturing, Wentz performs well within structure, but can also improvise when the play breaks down, stretching out his legs to pick up chunk yardage if it’s there (949 career rushing yards). He possesses a NFL-style skill-set with his size, athleticism and arm talent, including the field vision to work through reads and make sound decisions.He has solidified himself as a first-round player, but his performance in pre-draft workouts will go a long way in determining just how high in the first round he will be drafted. Wentz ideally needs a redshirt rookie season in the NFL, but will be the top senior quarterback on several NFL draft boards.–Dane Brugler (1/27/16)"

North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz has seen his draft stock rise considerably in advance of the Senior Bowl. He’ll need that game to prove himself worthy of a high first-round selection.

And, as CBS Sports’ Dane Brugler notes, Wentz could even climb higher than Goff. This puts him into a position where the latter could fall to San Francisco at No. 7 — a possibility suggested by Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller.

Paxton Lynch, Memphis

6’6″, 230 pounds

"With continued development, Lynch could be this year’s version of Blake Bortles – a prospect from the non-Power 5 conferences who checks a lot of boxes for NFL evaluators in an average quarterback class.–Dane Brugler/Rob Rang (10/29/15)"

Not long ago, Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch was considered the highest quarterback coming out in the draft. His stock may be slipping a little bit, but the prospect could still be the right kind of selection for the 49ers if they choose to go with the position in Round 1.

Lynch’s accuracy isn’t exactly the best though, which could be a problem for Kelly’s offensive scheme — short and quick passes with accurate delivery.

Christian Hackenberg, Penn State

6’4″, 236 pounds

"A three-year starter, Hackenberg had a promising freshman campaign in 2013 under the guidance of Bill O’Brien, but his development regressed with the new coaching staff the past two seasons. He didn’t receive much help from his surroundings the past two years with questionable play-calling, inconsistent weapons and a leaky offensive line, but Hackenberg deserves plenty of blame as well.Although he has special arm talent, the tape shows flawed decision-making, poor pocket awareness and streaky accuracy due to unstable mechanics. There is no question that Hackenberg will benefit from NFL coaching, but the game still moves at light speed for him and hasn’t shown signs of slowing down – is he already damaged goods?Overall, the physical traits and arm strength are ideal for the NFL, but Hackenberg doesn’t show a natural feel for the game and lacks a strong grasp in three critical areas of playing the position: touch, placement and decision-making.–Dane Brugler (1/6/16)"

Should the 49ers wait until Round 2 or 3 to take a quarterback, Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg may be a solid option. He’s listed there, per CBS Sports.

Hackenberg has the physical tools to be a great quarterback at the next level. But he’s raw, lacks pocket awareness and isn’t the most accurate signal-caller in the draft.

Perhaps these are traits that can be rectified during his rookie season while the 49ers roll out one of their returning quarterback veterans. Such a selection would still indicate a likely long-term option but without the risk of spending a first-round pick.

Vernon Adams, Oregon

5’11”, 195 pounds

"Adams’ low launch point is a major issue and his frail frame will likely keep him from being drafted. He is a good passer in practice, but Adams just isn’t built for NFL action.–Rob Rang and Dane Brugler (1/25/16)"

One quarterback whose name is drawing a lot of buzz of late is Oregon’s Vernon Adams. His performance during the East West Shrine Game is more than noteworthy, and the collegiate prospect — projected as a seventh-round pick or UDFA, per CBS Sports — seems to possess a lot of the same traits as Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

There are concerns over his small stature and whether or not he could handle the rigors of being an everyday NFL signal-caller.

Those are good questions. But the hype surrounding Adams is very real.

Here’s the kicker: Adams may climb in draft rankings between now and the draft itself. But it’s unlikely he makes it any higher than Round 4 at the earliest.

So that means San Francisco could take a late-round flier on him — or even sign him as an undrafted free agent if he falls to that point — and have a developmental prospect that could wind up being an absolute steal at some point down the road.

OK, Niner fans. It’s time for you to decide. Please select which of the aforementioned quarterbacks makes the most sense for San Francisco. And be sure to explain why in the comments section below.

Next: Full 7-Round Big Board for the 49ers in 2016 NFL Draft

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated. Supplementary draft information courtesy of CBS Sports.