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Chip Kelly fired: What if the 49ers had drafted Dak Prescott?

By David Rouben

Dec 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) drops back to pass against the New York Giants during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) drops back to pass against the New York Giants during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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In the wake of Chip Kelly’s firing, a report surfaced that he wanted Dak Prescott but Trent Baalke said no. But would it have really changed anything?

If the firing of Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke was supposed to be the nail in the San Francisco 49ers’ coffin, this report will feel like a twisting of the knife. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo stated that Chip Kelly, and other Niners executives, wanted to draft Dak Prescott, but ex-GM Trent Baalke vetoed it. We all know what happened next — the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the fourth round, and he went on to have one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory.

It’ll certainly make for one of the NFL’s great what-if moments, but the timing of the report seems questionable. While they probably did want Prescott, this story wouldn’t have been leaked had he and the Cowboys not gone 13-3. Besides, they had four chances to draft Prescott before he eventually went to Dallas. It bears a striking resemblance to that one time when Chip Kelly’s Eagles could’ve drafted Russell Wilson. 

But for the sake of argument, let’s say the 49ers do end up with their franchise quarterback. Would it have really changed anything? The Cowboys had all the tools in place this season to  Super Bowl contenders, and they would’ve won no matter who played under center. While Prescott’s a great quarterback, he wouldn’t haven transformed the 49ers from a two-win team to a playoff team.

Everyone likes to dismiss Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott’s accomplishments because of Dallas’ offensive line. While they’re both capable of individual brilliance, it does make a big difference. It’s the biggest reason why Prescott and Carson Wentz are having wildly different seasons — not only does Prescott get better pass protection, he also has a running game to take the pressure off of him. Wentz, by comparison, has to throw the ball 60 times a game and win with average receivers.

The 49ers have a great running back in Carlos Hyde — who, coincidentally, also went to Ohio State — but they also have terrible receivers and an even worse offensive line. It would’ve taken a miracle for Dak to replicate the numbers he put up this year in Dallas with the 49ers, and the media would’ve unfairly torn him to shreds for costing them a number of games. That’s not a hill he’d want to die on.

Next: Every NFL Team's Biggest Draft Whiff Of All-Time

At a time when NFL coaches go through ugly break-ups with their teams, reports like this will start to become commonplace. And given the current state of the 49ers, it’s no surprise that one side is trying to blame the other for their own failure. At the end of the day, Chip Kelly is not a good coach, and while Dak Prescott may have been a good long-term solution, he wouldn’t have changed anything this season.