The San Francisco 49ers hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. They also need a quarterback. But in a weak QB class, it would be a foolish thing for the Niners to reach so early in the draft.
The San Francisco 49ers find themselves in a curious position.
First, they own the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Second, they need a quarterback.
Badly.
San Francisco 49ers
OK, so Colin Kaepernick could return next year — and let’s not get into the “should he or shouldn’t he” discussion here — or the Niners could go the bridge-QB route and sign a stopgap free agent this offseason.
But the matter is general manager John Lynch will likely want to draft a quarterback at some point with one of the Niners’ 10 picks.
It just shouldn’t happen with the No. 2 overall selection.
Let’s understand the context here. Yes, the 49ers could be without any quarterbacks on their roster this offseason, especially if Kaepernick walks or is cut. Sure, it’s the most important position in football. We get that.
Still, none of this should prompt San Francisco to reach.
A Weak Quarterback Draft Class
The 2017 NFL Draft quarterback class is generally viewed as weak.
It’s hard to justify any of the prospective QBs falling into a top-10 big board, which means the Niners would be reaching if they took a quarterback at No. 2.
But what about falling in love with a quarterback anyway? If you see a prospect you must have, why not pounce, right?
Some feel this is what San Francisco could do. Just ask Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, who wrote, “This is not what I would do as general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, but this is the move I believe the team will make as the draft unfolds,” when breaking down the mock of North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky to the Niners at No. 2.
Even if Miller mocked Trubisky to the 49ers, Miller even admitted it probably wasn’t the best idea.
NFL Network’s Mike Mayock (h/t Alex Didion of KNBR) took things one step further and said none of this year’s quarterback draftees should rank “anywhere near the top 10.”
Situations Where a Quarterback at No. 2 Makes Sense
Teams reach in the NFL Draft all the time. And the Niners could reach here.
But the only way it makes sense is if the situation met a certain list of criteria:
- One of the quarterbacks was a bona fide top-10 prospect.
- San Francisco’s list of offseason needs was relatively short.
- The 49ers had multiple first-round draft picks.
None of those ring true for the Niners. Few analysts view anyone within this class as top-10 talent. And, as we know too well, teams can be just as likely to land a franchise-changing QB in later rounds.
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Just ask the Seattle Seahawks (Russell Wilson — Round 3), Oakland Raiders (Derek Carr — Round 2) or the New England Patriots (Tom Brady — Round 6).
San Francisco’s roster hurts too. The team isn’t in a position to reach. No, the 49ers’ first pick in the draft needs to be a day-one, plug-and-play starter right out of the gate. That’s the kind of impact needed in 2017. And no quarterback fits the bill.
The last scenario gets a bit interesting. Right now, the Niners have just one first-round pick. Even if they landed two — by trading down or some other measure — the first shouldn’t be a QB anyway.
Maybe someone in the middle of Round 1, but not within the top 10. It’s still a reach.
Next: 5 NFL Draft Picks that Could Jumpstart 49ers Rebuild
Regardless, don’t set sights on the 49ers looking at a quarterback with their first pick in the draft.