Niner Noise takes a look at five quarterbacks that could be taken before the San Francisco 49ers select at No. 9 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The more quarterbacks taken before the San Francisco 49ers select No. 9 in the 2018 NFL Draft, the higher the chance the Niners get a top non-quarterback prospect.
That means top draft prospects such as Quenton Nelson, Bradley Chubb, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Tremaine Edmunds and even Saquon Barkley can slip to the 49ers if more quarterbacks than expected get taken before the clock starts ticking for general manager John Lynch.
I’m going to start off with the quarterbacks most likely to be taken before the No. 9 spot, then progress to quarterbacks all Niners fans should hope get taken before San Francisco picks.
So without further ado, here are five quarterbacks who can be drafted before the 49ers pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
No. 5: Sam Darnold (USC)
There is little question that USC quarterback Sam Darnold will be selected first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
I’m so sure of this pick that I’d bet a million dollars on it.
Even though his 2017 season was inconsistent, Darnold is a lock to be taken first in the draft, flashing unbelievable accuracy and pocket presence during his two years as a Trojan.
Darnold also possesses that desired size that NFL scouts love, coming in at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds.
I don’t need to say a lot about Darnold. NFL scouts think that he is the prototypical quarterback, which will make him the first player to be taken off the board in 2018.
No. 4: Josh Rosen (UCLA)
On the other side of Los Angeles, Josh Rosen out of UCLA will undoubtedly be the next quarterback selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Where Darnold lacks in mechanics, Rosen more than makes up for it. He has the best mechanics I’ve seen from a quarterback prospect in a long time. He should have no problem adapting to the NFL with his terrifically well-coached mechanics and pocket presence.
Rosen has a cannon for an arm, but he needs some work on his deep ball. It may just be his lack of chemistry with his receivers at UCLA, but he wasn’t connecting with them the majority of the time. The biggest thing I think he needs to improve on is his anticipation on his receiver’s deep routes.
Nevertheless, Rosen is the surefire quarterback to be picked after Darnold gets taken at No. 1. If the New York Giants — who possess the No. 2 pick in the draft — pass on Saquon Barkley, Rosen will be set up as Eli Manning’s successor.
No. 3: Josh Allen (Wyoming)
A little less than a year ago, it was revealed that Josh Allen was actually a 49ers fan.
And of course it made the entire fanbase fall head over heels for him.
Fast forward to March 2018, and the team has found its franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, and Allen is all of a sudden just another prospect to see where he gets taken.
Allen is an odd prospect to evaluate. He has the highest ceiling but the lowest floor. He has by far the best physical traits out of any quarterback in the draft. He can make every single throw and can be as good of a Hail Mary thrower as Aaron Rodgers.
However, he is so inconsistent. And not the smartest.
Allen will throw dimes with his powerful arm on a play, but will throw a duck that makes you think “What the hell was that?” on the next.
He definitely has the biggest bust potential out of any of these quarterbacks, but refuted this very claim with his stunningly good performance at the NFL Scouting Combine.
If both Darnold and Rosen are gone by the time the New York Jets are on the clock at No. 3, Allen will almost certainly be the newest member of Gang Green.
No. 4: Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)
I think Baker Mayfield is the best quarterback prospect in the entire draft. I’ve always liked his accuracy, mobility and leadership.
And the funny thing about him is that his personality is what’s dragging him down the draft boards. Mayfield is cocky, but he oozes this charisma that can pump up any teammate.
From what I’ve seen out of him, Mayfield was born to become a leader.
And he’s an excellent football player as well. He doesn’t have the desired quarterback size, coming in at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, but has a strong arm that can make any throw. He is also annoyingly fast like a Russell Wilson.
Actually, he’s basically a clone of Wilson. And that’s good — really good.
The Denver Broncos should pick him up with the fifth pick of the draft, but in case they pass on him, the Buffalo Bills will be getting their hands on who is, in my opinion, the best quarterback in the draft.
No. 5: Lamar Jackson (Louisville)
The previous four quarterbacks will probably be taken before the 49ers pick at No. 9 in the draft.
But a fifth could sneak in there, and that’s 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson.
The only reason why Jackson is being mocked in the first round of the draft is his running ability. He can run circles around opposing defenses.
However, nobody really talks about his arm, which I think is the most crucial aspect of any quarterback. Jackson has a powerful arm that can make any throw, but like Allen, he is very inconsistent.
I’d go as far to say that he’s more inconsistent than Allen, and that’s saying a lot.
Every time I would watch a Louisville game, I’d see Jackson miss open receivers, whether if it was an easy short pass or a difficult long ball. It was incredibly frustrating to watch as a football fan.
Jackson has the ceiling to become the next Michael Vick. He just needs to work on his throwing ability to reach that goal.
I unfortunately do not think that Jackson will be taken before the 49ers pick at No. 9, but I could see a situation where a team trades up to Nos. 7, 8 or, even better, 9 to take a chance on him.
Next: 49ers to give Jimmie Ward reps at cornerback
If these five quarterbacks are taken before it’s time for John Lynch call a prospect to let him know that he’s about to become a Niner, this team is in prime position to acquire a blue-chip prospect in the first round of the draft.