Deshaun Watson goes to 49ers in PFF’s latest mock draft

The San Francisco 49ers don't officially have a head coach yet nor do they have a general manager. However, it appears that Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will become the next head coach of the 49ers. Of course, that can't officially happen until the Falcons have completed postseason play.

Many would say that quarterback is the most pressing need on the 49ers roster right now and a number of mock drafts continue to have San Francisco selecting a signal caller with their second overall pick. After all, Colin Kaepernick is expected to void the remainder of his contract and become a free agent and no other quarterback on the 2016 roster is signed beyond March.

Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus has released his third mock draft for the site. "The quarterbacks will be difficult to gauge as far as where they will land in the end, but I've come to the conclusion that while they all come with question marks, there are a number of signal-callers who are worth taking a risk on at various points in the first round," writes Palazzolo.

Who does Palazzolo have going to the 49ers? That would be Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was part of the Tigers' National Championship run. Palazzolo had the following to say about the selection.

"There is a lot of debate as to where the quarterbacks will land, and while I have my concerns about Watson after a year marred with inaccuracy and poor decision-making, he's a worthwhile gamble at the top of the draft. The need for quarterbacks is too strong in this league, and Watson has shown the ability to throw with touch on the outside while also showing the requisite zip to make passes up the seam. He was the No. 3 overall quarterback in the nation in 2016 in PFF grades, but given the high standards put on him, it was a disappointing effort for much of the season as he forced too many passes into coverage and his work in the pocket did not develop as expected. Still, there is plenty to work with in Watson who had a knack for bouncing back from adversity like few quarterbacks, and perhaps that is his greatest attribute and one that pushes him toward the top of the draft."

The selection of Watson comes after the selection of Texas A&M defender Myles Garrett with the first overall pick and before the selection of North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky with the third overall pick.

You can go through all of Palazzolo's selections in the 3.0 version of his 2017 NFL mock draft.