The 49ers number one priority is finding out who the quarterback for the 2011 season is going to be. In that process, each quarterback that has declared themselves eligible for this years draft will be looked at very closely.
The speculation that Alex Smith returning has died down just a bit after the 49ers were threatened for potential tampering with all the CBA stuff still in limbo. But the possibility of Alex returning is still seemingly strong. However, he will not just be given the job.
The 49ers are not going to just settle for Alex Smith which is why it is so imperative to select the right quarterback, or quarterback(s) heading in to the season. Whichever quarterbacks are brought in will have to give it their all for that starting position.
There is little doubt in my mind that the 49ers will be drafting a quarterback within the first three rounds. There are several options in the draft that they have to look at but free agency may not be a viable option depending on when the cloud of dust settles that was kicked up a few weeks ago as the NFLPA decertified and individual players filed lawsuits against the NFL owners. So the rookies may be the only option at this point.
With that, let's take a look at Colin Kaepernick from Nevada.
Some people may get the wrong impression from this video in that Kaepernick is a run first quarterback. The pistol offense is very gimmicky... there's little question about that. But the Nevada quarterback did have over 10,000 yards passing and 82 touchdowns throw the air in his four years at Nevada. He knows how to pass the ball. He will not be able to bail out of the pocket like he was able to in college in the NFL, so there is some fine tuning that he has to implement in his game. The biggest knock up to this point has been his quirky throwing motion. But there are players that have had success with similar playing styles... Vince Young has been one of them. In anycase, there is room for Kaepernick to improve... but one thing is apparent in this video, he has moxie... and his moxie has moxie.
Here are his stats:
Stats Overview
Passing
YEAR
CMP
ATT
YDS
CMP%
YPA
LNG
TD
INT
SACK
RAT
2007
133
247
2175
53.8
8.81
74
19
3
18
150.77
2008
208
383
2849
54.3
7.44
75
22
7
16
132.10
2009
166
282
2052
58.9
7.28
56
20
6
13
139.14
2010
233
359
3022
64.9
8.42
79
21
8
10
150.46
2010 Regular Season Game Log
Passing
Rushing
DATE
OPP
RESULT
CMP
ATT
YDS
CMP%
LNG
TD
INT
RAT
ATT
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
9/2
Eastern Washington
W 49-24
26
37
306
70.3
48
2
0
157.58
11
60
5.5
23
2
9/11
Colorado State
W 51-6
21
29
241
72.4
29
2
0
164.98
11
161
14.6
57
2
9/17
California
W 52-31
10
15
181
66.7
33
2
0
212.03
17
148
8.7
27
3
9/25
@Brigham Young
W 27-13
16
25
196
64.0
36
1
1
135.06
17
82
4.8
26
1
10/2
@UNLV
W 44-26
13
17
124
76.5
34
1
1
145.39
13
97
7.5
16
1
10/9
San Jose State
W 35-13
20
27
273
74.1
38
0
1
151.60
17
91
5.4
20
2
10/16
@Hawaii
L 27-21
14
26
159
53.8
30
2
2
115.21
11
30
2.7
9
1
10/30
Utah State
W 56-42
10
15
190
66.7
55
2
0
217.07
8
102
12.8
59
1
11/6
@Idaho
W 63-17
20
30
320
66.7
53
5
0
211.27
8
22
2.8
18
0
11/13
@Fresno State
W 35-34
16
26
171
61.5
23
0
1
109.09
14
156
11.1
49
2
11/20
New Mexico State
W 52-6
15
27
251
55.6
79
2
0
158.09
7
35
5.0
26
1
11/26
Boise State
W 34-31
19
35
259
54.3
47
1
1
120.16
10
45
4.5
18
1
12/4
@Louisiana Tech
W 35-17
13
17
159
76.5
23
0
0
155.04
20
155
7.8
35
3
2010 Postseason Game Log
Passing
Rushing
BOWL
OPP
RESULT
CMP
ATT
YDS
CMP%
LNG
TD
INT
RAT
ATT
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL
@Boston College
W 20-13
20
33
192
60.6
27
1
1
113.42
9
22
2.4
8
0
Summary: Some people feel that Kaepernick is a project and should not be selected any higher than the 4th or 5th round. But he will be selected before that. And if that's the case, it should speak on his potential as a future starter in the NFL. When the Nevada quarterback attended Peyton and Eli Manning's quarterback camp in the last offseason, they both were "giddy" about just how well he seperated himself from the competition. When you have two well-established NFL quarterbacks praising you like that, then something has to be said for that as well.
PREDICTION: 2nd - 3rd Round