On Monday morning, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the San Francisco 49ers are seriously considering selecting a quarterback with the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, which kicks off on Thursday night. More specifically, Rapoport identified North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky as the likely target.
49ers general manager John Lynch declared that the team was "open for business" during a discussion with the media on April 12th, indicating that they would be willing to take calls from any teams that are interested in trading up to the second overall pick.
Steve Wyche of NFL Network spoke to Lynch on Monday and asked him about their first round selection and the interest that it has attracted. "We have received calls," Lynch told Wyche. "I don't know what they're calling for in terms of positions but we have received interest in the number two pick. I can confirm that. As for where they're going with that, I don't know. But there's interest and there should be. It's the number two pick."
"Based off that interview, I got no indication from John Lynch that they want to come off that number two pick," Wyche later said. Lynch indicated that they would need to be blown away by the trade compensation in order to trade their first round pick.
Lynch went on to say that any assumptions that the 49ers would take a quarterback with the second overall pick are just that – assumptions.
"Nothing is leaking from the building," Wyche said. "At the same time, he said that they could draft a quarterback at number two and then he went on to say that they don't necessarily need to draft a quarterback whatsoever and followed it up by saying him and Kyle Shanahan believe that you need to have a franchise quarterback to be successful in the NFL."
What we can get out of the conversation with Lynch is that no one is any closer to knowing what the 49ers might do with the second overall pick and the team is not leaking any information that they don't want to let out. It will be interesting to find out on Thursday which rumors were genuine and which were possible smokescreens.
Lynch also said that the team has zeroed in on two or three players and that he feels ready for the start of the draft.