The San Francisco 49ers have three quarterbacks on their roster, but naturally they are always on the lookout for more talent. General manager Trent Baalke said he expects Colin Kaepernick to be on the roster April 1, and to compete for a starting spot, but he certainly left some wiggle room at the position.
Whether Kap is back or not, the team seems likely to invest in the quarterback position with young talent. One quarterback who has been mocked to the 49ers in recent weeks is Carson Wentz. The North Dakota State product has shot up draft boards since returning from a broken wrist.
Baalke was asked about Wentz, and the quarterback's eventual transition from FCS level football to the NFL. Someone mentioned that three North Dakota State players are in the NFL from the last two years, and asked if the gap is shrinking for players making the transition. Baalke went into a little more detail about his thoughts on Wentz:
"Well, I used to coach there, in fact I coached a young man by the name of [former NFL DE] Phil Hansen, years ago when I was a GA there. So, they've put out a lot of good football players for a smaller, for a lower level of play that conference has. Certainly there's a learning curve that they all go through. But, I don't think it's as drastic as some may. I think they've played at a high level. They've won five national championships in a row. Carson was a part of four of those. He's a good football player. He's got the stature you're looking for. He's got the intelligence you're looking for. There's so many positives to draw from. Now, how soon, how ready is he going to be when he gets to the league? I think there will be a learning curve, but there is for everybody at that position."