Super Bowl media week provides multiple days of media sessions, which means players and coaches are going to get asked everything under the sun. On Thursday, Kyle Shanahan was asked about previous rumors that he preferred Jimmy Garoppolo over Johnny Manziel in the 2014 NFL Draft. On Thursday, Shanahan confirmed he did like Garoppolo over Manziel. He also said he had Garoppolo as his No. 2 QB prospect that year, right behind Derek Carr.
Obviously hindsight is 20/20, but the first link above was from the end of Manziel and Garoppolo’s respective rookie seasons. We have nothing to show us on Carr, but I’ll give Shanahan the benefit of the doubt. Additionally, he asked out of his contract in Cleveland after the 2014 season due to a variety of issues. Shanahan said on Thursday that they had him look at and evaluate every quarterback for the 2014 NFL Draft. If they then decided to pass entirely on his suggestions, it would certainly add to his decision to get out of town.
The San Francisco 49ers have a significant need at quarterback, with Colin Kaepernick likely to either opt out or be cut by the team. This year’s quarterback class is not viewed as particularly strong, but the 49ers are bringing in Shanahan partially in hopes that he can find and develop a franchise quarterback. Whether it be someone in this draft, someone acquired in free agency or via trade, or someone in the future, that is one of the biggest issues Shanahan and John Lynch will deal with in the coming months. Maybe Shanahan ends up with Garoppolo, or maybe at some point he finds his Carr (or Garoppolo becomes his Carr!).