3 quarterbacks SF 49ers must avoid if they move Jimmy Garoppolo
By Peter Panacy
No. 2 QB the SF 49ers Must Avoid: Jamie Newman
There’s a lot of top-heavy quarterbacking talent to be had in the 2021 NFL Draft. Names like Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, BYU’s Zach Wilson, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and Alabama’s Mac Jones could all end up being taken within the first 20 picks, or so, of the draft this April.
Things get a bit trickier after that opening tier, however, and it’s possible San Francisco invests its top pick, No. 12 overall, in a position other than quarterback.
One of the possibilities could have been former Wake Forest and Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman, who transferred from the former school to the latter but ended up sitting out all of 2020.
Newman’s dual-threat capabilities could have been enticing enough. But he experienced a notable decline his last season at the collegiate level, 2019, and his efforts at the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl weren’t particularly inspiring.
From Yahoo! Sports’ Eric Edholm:
"Newman flashed some dimes and a big arm in practice, but they were interspersed with off-target throws, shaky decisions (four practice INTs, more than one to Grant) and indecision. After some standout moments in Tuesday’s practice session, Newman faded as the week went on. Newman hit on 11 of 14 passes Saturday, mostly in the second half, and hit Trevon Grimes for a TD on a back-shoulder throw where Grimes dug out the low pass. He was sacked four times, three in his first four plays behind a shorthanded offensive line, fumbled once and also tossed a pick. It’s hard to know how he’ll be viewed after not helping his stock much over the past calendar year."
Newman was already a wild card entering draft season anyway, and the Senior Bowl didn’t exactly do him any favors.
Currently, the Niners aren’t in a position where they can draft and develop a true unknown quarterback with the need to start him right away. Instead, a team with an established starter already in place should be the only one interested in Newman’s services.