It looks like the 49ers are poised to acquire a quarterback at some point in this year’s draft. Even if they don’t claim a long-term headline, they need to find a suitable backup for Jimmy Garoppolo. There is a scenario in which they do not write a quarterback, but use a selection to acquire one in an operation. A draft drill at Pro Football Focus executes this move in San Francisco.
In this PFF drill, the 49ers hand out No. 12 overall pick in Miami for sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after the Dolphins took on Justin Fields of Ohio State with the third overall pick they acquired from the Texans. in the trade of Laremy Tunsil.
It is not an acquisition out of nothing. This drill has three quarterbacks in the top three picks and five among the top nine finishers. Given the amount of needs the 49ers have, it’s hard to see them parting with a ton of draft capital to go up and catch a signal call in case the market for them is hypercompetitive at the start of the project.
An exchange of the No. 12 pick for a top-five 23-year-old selection that is accurate at all three levels of the passing game makes a lot of sense if the 49ers prioritize such a high position in this year’s draft.
However, there is a big question mark over whether Tagovailoa is the calling sign they would spend the number 12. This season he won 6-3 in nine Dolphins starters as a rookie. His numbers weren’t super impressive with 64.1 percent performance, 6.3 yards per attempt, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. There is also the fact that he was seated several times in favor of day laborer Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The Dolphins organization has given their support behind Tagovailoa and its future development, but it would be easy to see how the 49ers might be wary of doing this project when they are ready to fight for the Super Bowls.