49ers 2019 NFL Draft prospect profile: Quarterback Drew Lock

The San Francisco 49ers aren’t going to take a quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft. But Missouri quarterback Drew Lock could have a major impact on the Niners’ plans anyway.

No, you’re not going to see Missouri quarterback Drew Lock in a San Francisco 49ers uniform in 2019. Let’s get that out of the way for those who didn’t read carefully.

That said, Lock could have a major impact on how the Niners’ plans go in the 2019 NFL Draft, where they’re currently poised to select at Nos. 2 and 36 overall this April.

Lock is arguably the third best quarterback in a relatively thin draft class at the position, coming in behind Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins. But quarterback values always rise leading up to draft day. Case in point, general manager John Lynch took advantage of this back in 2017, when the Chicago Bears swapped spots with the 49ers to select then-rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2 overall. It wasn’t uncommon to see mock drafts tabbing Trubisky in the teens that year.

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Generated 3/29/2019.

Exactly how Lock affects San Francisco is entirely dependent on what happens with quarterback-needy teams, trade-ups and potentially trade downs in Rounds 1 and 2.

So, what happens if a team wants Lock that bad? And how will that affect the Niners? Let’s take a look at what Lock’s stock value might have to say about his market first.

Drew Lock’s Strengths

Being in a weak quarterbacking class is a bonus for Lock, who’d likely be a Round 3 pickup in many other NFL Draft classes that were better for quarterback-seeking teams.

That said, there’s a lot Lock has to offer for squads looking for starting potential. At 6-foot-4 and 228 pounds, he has the ideal body type for the position and has shown the ability to work through progressions at a level comparable with veteran signal-callers.

You can get an idea of that ability in the Pro Football Focus video below:

Mechanically speaking, Lock has a very fluid and easy release, which allows him to toss darts down the field and hit targets with relative ease in the short- and intermediate-area ranges.

On top of that, Lock possesses some of the best pocket awareness we’ve seen in years, showcasing an innate ability to sense pressure while keeping his eyes down the field.

Those pro-level traits will make him attractive to plenty of teams seeking a long-term option under center.

Drew Lock’s Weaknesses

If the above traits stood by themselves, one could argue Lock would be the first quarterback taken in April’s draft. But there are a lot of problems, which have pushed his stock level down considerably.

The biggest, of course, is his accuracy. His 56.9 collegiate-career completion percentage is far below the standards you’d like to see for high-profile quarterbacks. And while he wasn’t helped by a number of dropped catches by Missouri receivers, the above video also illustrates some of the issues fell solely on Lock’s shoulders.

Or arm, so to speak.

While most of his technique is sound, Lock’s three-quarter release has the tendency to make the ball sail away from intended targets. And he lacks a lot of the touch-pass ability, which is something that could hinder his development at the pro level.

How Drew Lock Affects the 49ers

The Arizona Cardinals could easily draft Murray at No. 1 overall, which makes the 49ers’ top pick a prime trade-up target for other teams looking at quarterbacks.

In all likelihood, Haskins winds up being the second QB taken after Murray. But, let’s say San Francisco trades down with a quarterback-seeking team, like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 5 overall) or the New York Giants (No. 6 overall) and yet another team moves ahead of the Niners’ eventual Round 1 pick destination, you could easily wind up seeing three quarterbacks taken within the first five picks or so.

Imagine this: Murray to Arizona at No. 1, Haskins to the Giants at No. 2 (assuming there’s a trade) and Lock to another team trading into the top five.

All this does is push more of those top-three prospect talents — none of which are quarterbacks — into San Francisco’s collective lap. And the Niners still cash in on a would-be massive return haul in draft compensation.

Or if Lock falls, which is also entirely possible, you could see scenarios get even weirder in Round 2, where the 49ers hold the fourth pick in the round.

Either way, Lock’s stock value could have a direct influence on what San Francisco does this April, so you should pay attention to which teams are eyeing him.

The 2019 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25 from Nashville, Tennessee.