The San Francisco 49ers may draft a quarterback in April to bolster the depth behind their starter. However, one mock draft has the team doing the seemingly unthinkable: drafting a replacement for Brock Purdy.
Last week, general manager John Lynch reiterated the 49ers' unwavering commitment to their quarterback.
"Listen, I think what we know about Brock is that he's our guy," Lynch declared. "We have interest in Brock being around here for a long, long time. He's done so much for our organization."
Despite that, a mock draft from A to Z Sports raised eyebrows with its projection. Contributors took turns predicting each team's picks in a collaborative three-round mock draft. For the 49ers, Ian Valentino had the team select Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant with the 11th overall pick—a reasonable choice to bolster the defensive line.
However, it's Valentino's second-round selection that sparks controversy. With the 43rd overall pick, he has the 49ers drafting Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, explicitly declaring it a move to replace Purdy.
"The 49ers would be wise to franchise tag Brock Purdy and look for a potential upgrade," Valentino wrote. "Missing out on Jalen Milroe takes away Kyle Shanahan's second crack at a Trey Lance-type project, so they can go with the easier projection, which is the efficient Jaxson Dart."
In this scenario, Milroe is off the board, going to the Las Vegas Raiders six picks earlier.
Dart is coming off a career-best season, completing 69.3 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Over three seasons with the Ole Miss Rebels, following his transfer from USC, Dart amassed 10,617 passing yards, 72 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions.
Valentino's selection of Dart suggests he doesn't foresee Purdy and the 49ers agreeing on a contract extension. Instead, he envisions the team playing out Purdy's rookie deal, applying the franchise tag in 2026, and then transitioning to Dart as the future starter, declaring him a "potential upgrade." That might be considered a bold statement, given Purdy's established NFL success.
Of course, a more plausible scenario is that the 49ers and Purdy strike a long-term deal, keeping him in the Bay Area for years to come. However, what that contract might look like remains a much-discussed topic among analysts, with Purdy's value still being debated.
For his part, Purdy has made his intentions clear. He wants to remain with the 49ers.
"I want to be in San Francisco and play my football career here," Purdy said last week. "I love it here, and I want to do whatever it takes to be here."
Valentino's third-round selection for the 49ers, North Dakota State offensive tackle Grey Zabel, makes sense from a roster-building perspective, addressing a key need on the offensive line. While both the first and third-round picks seem logical, that second-round projection is bound to leave fans scratching their heads.
H/t to Nicholas McGee of A to Z Sports for the find.