Draft analyst Matt Miller of Bleacher Report is reporting that the San Francisco 49ers will meet with former Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson on Friday night as part of their player interviews at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Deshaun Watson met with Chiefs (h/t @ChiefsReporter) and will meet with the 49ers tonight.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 3, 2017
Watson ended his collegiate career in dream fashion, winning a National Championship in the final seconds of the game with a game-winning touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow. He finished the game completing 36 of his 56 passes and throwing three touchdowns. Watson did not throw an interception against the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide.
In two games against the Crimson Tide, both national title matchups, Watson has amassed 941 yards of total offense, thrown seven touchdowns, and just one interception against an Alabama defense that was in the discussion as one of the best ever. "You watch what he's done -- just putting a team on his shoulders and taking down a great champion," 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Thursday while addressing the media in Indianapolis.
In 2016, Watson completed 67.6-percent of his passes for 3,914 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He has a career completion percentage of 68.4-percent.
The 49ers will be in need of a quarterback because they will have none on their roster at the start of free agency on March 9. Colin Kaepernick is expected to officially opt out of the final year of his contract on Friday and no other 49ers quarterback was signed beyond the 2016 season.
The 49ers currently own the second overall selection in the draft, which kicks off at the end of April.
As revealed by Lynch himself, the 49ers have already met with former Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer. On Friday night, the team will also meet with former North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, per the Sacramento Bee.