The 49ers’ crowded quarterback room isn’t stopping them from doing their due diligence on this year’s NFL draft class. Matt Barrows in the Athletic laid out a list of QBs San Francisco has either held a workout with or met with prior to the draft.
It’s hard to blame the 49ers for continuing to poke around at the position despite have three QBs on the roster who could all conceivably start games for them this year. They were in the same position last year until rookie seventh-round pick Brock Purdy overtook veteran Nate Sudfeld for the third QB spot.
When the 49ers drafted Purdy it looked like he’d be the third QB, but Jimmy Garoppolo’s return muddled the QB room some. Purdy’s rise wound up benefitting San Francisco in the long run when he went on a 7-0 run as the team’s starter to get them to the NFC championship game before suffering a torn UCL that required surgery this offseason.
It’s that torn UCL that’s muddying the waters on the 49ers’ QB depth chart this offseason. They may need a third, healthy QB on the roster depending on how Purdy’s recovery goes. Given how well the final-pick flyer went on him though, San Francisco would be wise to use another late-round pick on a signal caller in case they catch lightning in a bottle again.
They own one pick late in the sixth round and four in the seventh, although trades could certainly change that. Regardless, a late-round QB could be in the cards for the 49ers, and they’ve done some work at the position.
Here are the QBs Barrows mentioned in his piece: