It’s time for John Lynch to break out the stationery.
The 49ers’ general manager already knows he owes a hearty “Thank you” to Bill Belichick for dealing Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco at the end of October, but now, Lynch has a few other letters to pen.
On Wednesday, USC quarterback Sam Darnold and UCLA signal-caller Josh Rosen both announced that they planned to forego their remaining college eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft. They should be on Lynch’s mailing list. So too should Wyoming product Josh Allen, who announced he’s leaving school early to pursue an NFL dream. Eventually, Lynch may also need to write to Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, who could soon decide to make the leap.
It’s obvious why Lynch should express his gratitude to the New England Patriots’ head coach, but why should the 49ers be so thankful that young quarterbacks are preparing themselves for a future in the NFL? Thanks in part to the play of Garoppolo during the final month of the regular season, the premium on quarterback play in the league has never been higher, and as each year passes, franchises grow increasingly impatient with quarterbacks who don’t display elite traits.
The 49ers found their building block in Garoppolo, who led San Francisco to a 5-0 record after taking over a team that started 1-10, and now, Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan can begin filling in their remaining roster holes through free agency and the draft. With a plethora of cap space (over $117 million), the 49ers can sign Garoppolo to a rich long-term deal and still have plenty of room left over to entice veterans on the open market to ink deals with San Francisco.
Still, NFL success also depends on drafting quality prospects, and with the announcements from Darnold, Rosen and Allen, San Francisco increases its chances of landing a game-changing talent in the first round of this year’s draft. The 49ers need offensive linemen, cornerbacks and inside linebacker and a pass rusher, but Lynch and Shanahan already have their quarterback of the future.
Of the eight or nine teams that will draft ahead of San Francisco this year (the 49ers will participate in a coin flip with the Raiders for the No. 9 draft pick), four need quarterbacks. That number doesn’t account for the teams drafting behind the 49ers, like Washington, Arizona and Cincinnati, that could also be in the market for a passer this offseason and might be willing to jump ahead of or trade with San Francisco under the the right circumstances.
Ultimately, as more quarterbacks who have the potential to be first round selections declare for the draft, the better position the 49ers are in. If Rosen and Darnold are taken with the top two picks and Allen or Mayfield also goes inside the top 10, perhaps a top-five talent like Penn State’s Saquon Barkley or Georgia’s Roquan Smith slips to the 49ers. If that happens, Lynch could pull the trigger on a dynamic talent, or elect to trade back to a team looking for a Mayfield or a Jackson and pick up the second round selection the franchise lost in the deal for Garoppolo.
If you’re cynical about the talent level of Darnold or the readiness of Rosen, the poise of Mayfield or the assimilation process for Allen, you’re not alone. Plenty of NFL scouts and talent evaluators are about to dig deep on every collegiate quarterback and discover their flaws, but as they do every year, folks in charge of the draft process for teams in search of a quarterback will end up drafting a quarterback. Even teams that don’t need quarterbacks right away (Looking at you Kansas City), will trade up in the first round to prepare for the future, because quarterback play is that important.
So now that the 49ers have their franchise cornerstone, they have the ultimate sense of flexibility in this year’s draft. Stay in the top 10 and draft an immediate impact talent, or trade back and still pick up a first round-caliber player while adding selections later on. It’s this sense of flexibility that allows general managers and scouting departments to do their best work, because the issue of finding a quarterback isn’t on anyone’s mind.
Darnold, Rosen and Allen could have stayed in school. Jackson still might. Mayfield had no choice, but now, he’ll have company near the top of draft boards. This year’s best top quarterback prospects might not be franchise saviors, but that won’t scare teams away. It should, however, earn them thank you notes from Lynch and the 49ers, who are in a much more comfortable position heading into the offseason.
