2017 NFL Draft: The 49ers Should Eye Texas Tech Quarterback Patrick Mahomes
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers are going to need a quarterback this offseason. And one prospect worth keeping an eye on is Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes.
Unless, for some odd reason, the San Francisco 49ers are content keeping incumbent Colin Kaepernick on the roster next year, the Niners will be hard at work trying to find their next quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft.
One name they should consider is Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes II.
Kaepernick simply isn’t the long-term answer, which will prompt the 49ers to use one of their 10 picks on the NFL Draft on a quarterback.
And, most likely, they’ll have to spend one on the first two days of the draft.
Considering the team’s shortcomings across the board, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to save the quarterbacking needs until day two — Rounds 2 and 3.
According to CBS Sports, Mahomes is just that — a prospect capable of going either late in the second round or early in the third.
Since the Niners will have the second pick in Round 3, letting Mahomes slide there isn’t a bad option.
Patrick Mahomes Draft Profile
At 6-foot-2 and 229 pounds, Mahomes has good enough size and bulk for the position. And the fact he’s played through a number of injuries over his three-year collegiate career suggests he’s durable enough to take on the rigors at the next level.
Take a look at his stats too, from Sports Reference:
| Passing | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | AY/A | TD | Int | Rate |
| 2014 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | FR | QB | 7 | 105 | 185 | 56.8 | 1547 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 16 | 4 | 151.2 |
| *2015 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | SO | QB | 13 | 364 | 573 | 63.5 | 4653 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 36 | 15 | 147.2 |
| 2016 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | JR | QB | 12 | 388 | 591 | 65.7 | 5052 | 8.5 | 9.2 | 41 | 10 | 157.0 |
| Career | Texas Tech | 857 | 1349 | 63.5 | 11252 | 8.3 | 8.8 | 93 | 29 | 152.0 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 1/4/2017.
We have to curb our enthusiasm a bit on the passing yards, largely due to Texas Tech’s all-out aerial-assault offense.
Still, the completion percentage is good. And his adjusted-completion is 75.1 percent, per Pro Football Focus, which is pretty top notch.
Bleacher Report’s Ian Wharton did some study on Mahomes too and provides the following clips, demonstrating Mahomes’ accuracy:
— Ian (@NFLFilmStudy) January 5, 2017
And we can see more of it here, courtesy of DraftBreakdown.com:
Yes, and his elusiveness within and out of the pocket are on display as well.
A Fit with the 49ers?
Well, honestly, we have no clue.
Determining what kind of quarterback San Francisco chooses in this year’s NFL Draft is entirely contingent on the new coaching staff and general manager.
We don’t know if the Niners are going to prize a spread-type quarterback capable of moving in and out of the pocket. And we’re not sure if San Francisco would rather target someone who is more of a traditional pocket passer.
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One thing we do know is Mahomes will be entering the draft after his junior year.
Sure, the transition from a spread to pro-style offense might take some adjustments. And he could work on his mechanics a little bit too. But it wouldn’t be shocking to see the 49ers take a shot on Mahomes in Round 3 and let him develop for a year with a veteran presence in 2017.
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More importantly, targeting a guy like Mahomes in the third round would give the Niners a chance to use their first two picks elsewhere, saving this crucial need for later but not avoiding it until it’s too late.