SF 49ers can settle on Kyle Trask as NFL Draft backup option

The SF 49ers may use their first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on a quarterback, but Florida’s Kyle Trask could be a day-two contingency plan.

A few things have to be granted here for the SF 49ers‘ future plans at quarterback.

First, they will want to move on from their starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, perhaps as soon as this offseason. And if not then, in 2022 at the latest. Second, head coach Kyle Shanahan and the front office will want to use their first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, currently No. 12 overall, on a quarterback to solidify the position for the long run.

Assuming those two elements are true, it’s not hard to see where things get a bit sticky.

The big-four prospective quarterbacks — Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and BYU’s Zach Wilson — are all likely to be long gone by the time Shanahan and Co. are poised to make their first selection. Barring a trade-up, the Niners are going to have to settle for someone else.

Perhaps Alabama’s Mac Jones, who was on fire in the CFB Playoff championship versus Ohio State, would be a first-round possibility. Although his final collegiate performance could shake up his draft stock a lot, potentially even above San Francisco’s current placement.

So, what would the contingency plans be for the SF 49ers? If they miss out on Jones and the other four names, would they take a look at Florida’s Kyle Trask?

Absolutely.

SF 49ers can take advantage of Kyle Trask’s draft-stock fall

Trask was in the same category as Jones and for multiple reasons. Both were viewed as late first-round picks, and neither quarterback is exactly known for being mobile within and outside the pocket.

Yet Trask, who put up massive numbers over the course of 2020, couldn’t have finished his collegiate career in a worse way — a three-interception, 16-of-28 performance against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.

Bad. Awfully bad. There’s no other way around it.

It’s likely this performance, the last on-field moments scouts will remember, drops Trask’s draft stock into Round 1. That’s currently where Pro Football Focus has the Florida quarterback — No. 44 overall on their 2021 draft big board.

Still, it’s important to recognize the entire body of work. Over the course of 2020, Trask still completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 4,283 yards, and he did a good enough job protecting the football for the most part, too, tossing 43 touchdowns against eight interceptions.

Remove the ugly game against Oklahoma, and Trask would have finished with just one more pick thrown than Jones, who is widely known for his reputation of protecting the ball.

This NFL Analysis article pegs the LA Rams as a potential fit for Trask, citing the style of offense and weapons that would be placed around him. The SF 49ers aren’t far off from Los Angeles’ situation: wide receivers, a strong running game and an All-Pro tight end.

Those weapons could still help Trask a lot.

Plus, there’s the added bonus of the Niners saving that first-round pick for another pressing area of need, then using a second-rounder on a player like Trask while not having to fully move on from Garoppolo just yet.

In short, Trask’s floundering against Oklahoma could actually work to San Francisco’s benefit.