5 players 49ers should draft in the first round

Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

The entire offseason for the 49ers will be defined by what they do at quarterback after a 2020 season in which Garoppolo was off the field for most of the season and largely disappointed when he was on it.

San Francisco has been frequently mentioned as a potential Deshaun Watson destination, but the Niners’ brass has continually publicly backed Garoppolo despite his struggles last year and his role in the fourth-quarter collapse in Super Bowl LIV.

Yet, with few glaring needs following a strong free agency period, the 49ers are in a position where a trade up to get a quarterback of the future is in play.

Getting up to number two to take Zach Wilson looks an unlikely scenario, the odds of them striking a trade for either Fields or Trey Lance seem better.

Lance might be the better option in terms of somebody who can develop behind Garoppolo having played only one full season at North Dakota State.

But how long would Shanahan be prepared to wait for a rookie to be ready were Garoppolo to continue to underwhelm, especially after potentially trading up?

Fields is the more pro-ready of the two and already has a connection with Shanahan. The Buckeye has trained at the QB Collective, the well-respected facility where Shanahan has served as a coach.

The 2019 Heisman Trophy finalist is an extremely accurate thrower to all levels of the field. He excels at delivering with anticipation and hitting his receivers in stride, particularly when throwing the slant, while his placement on deep ball surpasses anything Garoppolo has showcased during his pro career.

Fields is poised against pressure, which he consistently eludes through the mobility that would allow him to operate the bootlegs that are key part of the Shanahan scheme with no difficulty. He rarely loses any velocity or accuracy when throwing on the move while his speed and elusiveness as a runner would open even more pages of Shanahan’s extensive playbook.

Drafting Fields would give the Niners the option of moving on from Garoppolo and elevating their offense while saving money against the cap for an extension for linebacker Fred Warner. Should the Niners keep Garoppolo, Fields is the rookie likely to be within their reach that could provide the best competition for the starting role going into the season.

The 49ers haven’t as yet improved the quarterback position in free agency. If they want to do it in the draft, Fields should be the leading candidate among the realistic options.