It looks like the 49ers will get a quarterback at some point in this year’s draft. Even if they do not want a long-term starter, they need to find adequate backing for Jimmy Garoppolo. There is a scenario in which they do not set up a quarterback, but rather use a choice to acquire one in a trade. A mock draft at Pro Football Focus is taking this step for San Francisco.
In this PFF spot, the 49ers give Miami the overall choice for second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, after the Dolphins took on Justin Fields of Ohio in Ohio with the third overall pick they have from the Texans in the Laremy Tunsil trade acquired.
It is not an acquisition of nowhere. This spot has three backs in the first three picks and five in the top nine. Given the sheer amount of needs of 49ers, it’s hard to see them parting with a ton of draft capital to move up and catch a signal caller when the market for them is hyper-competitive early in the draft.
A swap of the number 12 pick for a 23-year-old former top-five pick that is accurate at all three levels of the pass game makes a lot of sense as the 49ers give the position in this year’s draft pick.
However, there is a big question mark over whether Tagovailoa is the caller on which they would spend the number 12. He started the season as a rookie 6-3 in nine times for the Dolphins. His numbers were not very impressive, with a completion rate of 64.1 percent, 6.3 yards per attempt, 11 touches and five distinctions. There is also the fact that he has been put in favor of travel companion Ryan Fitzpatrick several times.
The Dolphins organization has put its support behind Tagovailoa and its future development, but it would be easy to see how the 49ers might be wary of tackling the project when they are ready to tackle for Super Bowls.