We might as well begin talking about the 49ers offseason, and a pertinent move related to 2017 happened on Monday.
Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer has declared for the NFL Draft.
Many view Kizer as the top quarterback prospect entering the draft pool. But I’m not sold yet, and probably never will be.
In his second full season starting in South Bend, Kizer failed to complete 60 percent of his passes (58.7). That’s an immediate red flag from a college quarterback and a signal to the 49ers that they could be in for the same problems if they draft Kizer.
The reason Colin Kaepernick and this Chip Kelly offense struggle is because he has the worst completion percentage in the NFL (54.8). Kaepernick also had a career 58.2 completion percentage in four seasons at Nevada, suggesting accuracy is something that’s not easily fixed.
To compare, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 67 percent of his passes for the third straight season. It’s a different offensive system, but accuracy needs to be the trait the 49ers stress in their next quarterback, not upside. If you can’t complete passes, you can’t win football games. It’s that simple.
Why do people love Kizer?Just like Kaepernick, it’s his size. He’s 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and has a rocket launcher on his right arm. His statistics are paint a picture of a solid quarterback (2,925 yards, 26 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 520 rushing yards). He made some big-time throws. Some teams will have him high on their draft board.
Take this for what it’s worth, but Kizer and Notre Dame went 4-8 this season. Granted, Tim Tebow won a championship at Florida. So winning does not determine NFL success. But losing as a consistent rate is not an attractive quality in a playmaking quarterback either. The season before, Kizer helped lead the Fighting Irish to a 10-2 record, though.
Regardless, the 49ers desperately need a quarterback and many people in the mock draft community think reaching for Kizer or Watson at the No. 2 overall pick would not be good value at all. A new GM might be inclined to some wheeling and dealing in the first round. But there are other teams that need a quarterback — Chicago, Arizona, Cleveland.
We have no idea if Kelly will be here in 2017, but we do know the 49ers need a rookie quarterback — no matter who is coaching this football team.