It's only late January, but it is safe to say Vernon Adams is going to be getting some publicity over the next three months. The Oregon quarterback was the second quarterback in the Shrine Game for the West squad, and he made one heck of an impression. Adams was 6-of-9 for 191 yards and three touchdowns, along with two rushes for 25 yards. He set a Shrine Game record with a 93-yard touchdown pass to Danny Anthrop.
The game is still wrapping up, but NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock made the obvious connection between Adams and the San Francisco 49ers:
.@MikeMayock: If you're Chip Kelly, you're taking a look at Vernon Adams and seeing what he can do. #ShrineGame #49ers
— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) January 23, 2016
The 49ers met with Adams earlier this week during Shrine Game practice. A Shrine Game meeting could be as simple as clarifying some information, so we can only take so much from such a meeting. There are some questions about his size, which will drop him into day three of the draft. It is possible he slips further, but all it takes is one team being sufficiently interested for him to come off the board. The Combine and Pro Day workout will likely be big for him.