49ers NFL Draft 2022: 4 quarterbacks who can back up Trey Lance
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers likely turn to a veteran to back up Trey Lance in 2022, but there’s always the idea the NFL Draft could provide a quality No. 2 option.
The San Francisco 49ers should turn to a low-cost veteran free-agent quarterback to support Trey Lance in 2022, the next-place mentor once the Niners move on from Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.
Perhaps someone who has worked within head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense before. Maybe another veteran signal-caller who has been around the league so much and in so many different spots, he’s regularly practiced against virtually every defensive coverage and scheme out there.
While that’s always a strong possibility, there’s another notion teams should take a quarterback every year of the NFL Draft regardless of their situation under center.
Sure, San Francisco has plenty of needs to address in the 2022 draft, but one could make an argument for a late-round pick to be used on an under-the-radar quarterback who could potentially work his way towards being the No. 2 option behind Lance in the upcoming years.
If the 49ers take this approach, these four less-heralded quarterbacks could be potential targets for Shanahan and Co. on day three of the NFL Draft this spring.
49ers NFL Draft Target No. 4: Chris Oladuokun, South Dakota State
The Niners are hoping to have success with an FCS quarterback in Lance, and there’s always the thinking a less-known signal-caller can rise up from the second-tier ranks towards becoming a likable commodity at the NFL level, too.
South Dakota State quarterback Chris Oladuokun might be one of those worth targeting, following his transfer path from Samford and, before that, South Florida.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Oladuokun might be a bit undersized to withstand the rigors of the pro game, although it’s nevertheless impressive enough to see his 62-percent completion rate for 3,164 yards and 25 touchdowns against seven interceptions for the Jackrabbits last season.
What makes Oladuokun a bit more intriguing, however, is he also possesses rushing capabilities in addition to a strong arm.
That might bode well for a developmental-type QB, and Oladuokun is certainly worth monitoring throughout the pre-draft process as a possible Round 7 pick.