2016 NFL Draft: Round 1 Big Board for the San Francisco 49ers
By Peter Panacy
Quarterback Jared Goff, Cal
Yes, the 49ers’ No. 1 prospect on their board should be Cal quarterback Jared Goff. There may be other players who are “better” and will provide a greater impact their respective rookie seasons. But the 49ers need to turn the page at the quarterback position.
And Goff is the guy to do so.
Rob Rang of CBS Sports wrote in a recent mock tabbing Goff to San Francisco:
"Given his preference for athletic quarterbacks at Oregon, it isn’t difficult to imagine Chip Kelly falling for Colin Kaepernick’s dual-threat possibilities. However, unless Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke are supremely confident that Kaepernick can resurrect his once promising career, adding the popular Bay Area product (who grew up a 49ers fan) seems too easy of a solution at the game’s most important position. Most important to Kelly’s scheme isn’t athleticism but anticipation and accuracy — two of Goff’s best attributes."
San Francisco is a team amidst a flurry of transition. Hoping quarterback Colin Kaepernick turns his career around seems more fleeting by the day, especially following his trade request.
And despite some of his promising efforts in the latter half of last season, fellow QB Blaine Gabbert doesn’t look like a long-term answer either.
So Goff should be priority No. 1 for San Francisco. But he may not be on the board when the 49ers draft in Round 1. The Cleveland Browns, who hold the No. 2 pick, are projected by CBS Sports to tab a quarterback. And the Dallas Cowboys, who own the No. 4 pick, could steal Goff away should they want an eventual replacement for aging, oft-injured QB Tony Romo.
Yet if Goff is there, the 49ers should bite.
Next: Option 2: LB Myles Jack