It seems that the 49ers are ready to buy a quarterback at some point in this year’s draft. Even if they are not looking for a long-term starter, they must find a suitable reserve for Jimmy Garoppolo. There is a scenario in which they do not play a quarterback, but instead use a choice to purchase one in a transaction. A fake draft at Pro Football Focus executes this move for San Francisco.
In this PFF mockery, the 49ers grant general election no. 12 to Miami for defender Tua Tagovailoa in his sophomore year, after the Dolphins took Justin Fields from Ohio, with the third overall selection they bought from the Texans in the Laremy Tunsil trade.
It’s not a purchase out of nowhere. This mockery has three defenders participating in the first three selections and five are ranked in the top nine. Given the number 49ers needs, it’s hard to see them parting with a ton of project capital to move up and capture a signal caller if the market for them is hypercompetitive at the start of the project.
A change of option no. 12 for a former 23-year-old selection, which is accurate in 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 as to whether Tagovailoa is the signal caller on whom election no. 12. He ranked 6-3 in nine starts for the Dolphins as a debutant this season. His numbers were not impressive, with a completion rate of 64.1%, 6.3 yards per try, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. There is also the fact that he was placed several times in favor of the traveler Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The Dolphins put their support behind Tagovailoa and his future development, but it would be easy to see how the 49ers could be careful to take this project when they are ready to fight for the Super Bowls.