SF 49ers NFL Draft: Steve Young thinks BYU’s Zach Wilson would fit

The SF 49ers could look for a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft, and Steve Young feels BYU’s Zach Wilson would fit nicely.

Hall of Famer Steve Young wasn’t shy pointing out his thoughts the SF 49ers may want to move on from their current starting quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, as soon as this offseason.

Young’s primary rationale was Garoppolo’s on-field limitations were holding back all the things head coach Kyle Shanahan wants to operate with his offense. And while Garoppolo has had success in San Francisco, including being a key part of a 13-3 regular-season campaign in 2019 and trip up to the Super Bowl, Young felt Shanahan would ultimately want more out of his guy under center.

It’s still unclear what route Shanahan and the SF 49ers will take, should they elect to move on from Jimmy G this offseason.

But if it’s through the 2021 NFL Draft, Young feels as if BYU quarterback Zach Wilson would be a great choice.

“The kid is a really good player,” Young told KNBR’s Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks Show this week. “I mean, I’m not going to say he’s Patrick Mahomes, but I’m saying he plays like Patrick Mahomes. There’s no throw he can’t make, and he’s just intuitive and really present when he’s playing. Every week, you’re like, ‘Wow. This is something good.’”

There would, of course, come the challenges any rookie quarterback faces when transitioning from college spread-like offenses into a pro-style system, and Shanahan’s is one of the most complex in the NFL. Even experienced quarterbacks can have difficulty acclimating to the offense.

But Young didn’t feel it would be too big a challenge.

“There’s no question that he’s capable,” Young added. “The more they ask of him, the better he gets. A good buddy of mine was coaching the kid in high school, and he was telling me there’s something special about this kid. He can do things that no one else can do.”

Adding a wrinkle to the Niners’ possible search for a rookie quarterback, the 4th & Gold Podcast recently reported 49ers Vice President of Player Personnel Adam Peters was recently onhand for Wilson’s game versus Boise State.

Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller also corroborated the report.

Wilson, who stands at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and has completed 75.1 percent of his passes this season with 22 touchdowns against two interceptions, finds himself quickly rising up NFL Draft big boards. While some out there have Wilson pegged as an early day-two selection, there’s plenty of speculation he could easily be a top-10 pick. Perhaps going in the top five, as quarterbacks tend to rise leading up to draft day.

Currently, the 4-5 Niners own the No. 15 overall pick in the draft, but that positioning will obviously change as league records change between now and Week 17.

According to Young, however, San Francisco doing whatever it can to land Wilson might be the best move of all.

“The more I watch this kid I’m like I don’t see flaws, I don’t see problems,” Young stressed.