49ers news: Winners, losers from blockbuster NFL Draft trade

Winner: First-round rookie quarterbacks, even Alabama’s Mac Jones

While there are exceptions, first- and second-round quarterback stock values always tend to increase leading up to the NFL Draft. Friday’s blockbuster move only reinforced this, especially if four quarterbacks end up being selected over the first four picks.

That would mean Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Trey Lance all wind up with the four highest-paid rookie contracts, assuming that’s the order.

Just like that, those four are winning.

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It’s also important, too, to acknowledge whichever quarterback winds up with the 49ers goes to a situation where there’s already a playoff-caliber roster in place with one of the best offensive minds in football, Kyle Shanahan, at the helm. The same can’t be said of the rebuilding Jaguars and Jets.

But the Niners’ trade up to No. 3 overall also makes a winner of Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, who is generally viewed as a distant fifth-best option behind those early four names.

There’s some buzz San Francisco could go after Jones with this newly acquired pick. Yet that’s a bit of a stretch, considering Jones is still a reach within the top 10 picks and doesn’t necessarily execute those bootlegs and rollouts so indicative of Shanahan’s offense.

However, Jones just saw his stock value increase dramatically, thanks to San Francisco’s move. Even if the 49ers go with someone else, the likelihood of four quarterbacks going within the first four or five picks ultimately means the chances of another team reaching on Jones earlier than, let’s say, the second half of Round 1 just increased dramatically.