If Stafford’s available, do 49ers pull the trigger?

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Sunday, March 22, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

San Francisco 49ers
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It's not a likely scenario, but should the San Francisco 49ers select Matthew Stafford with the 10th pick in April's NFL draft if he's available?

Just four years ago, the 49ers thought they had secured their franchise quarterback after grabbing Alex Smith with the first overall pick in the draft. Smith hasn’t panned out thus far, leaving San Francisco in search of long-term solution under center. While Shaun Hill has shown to be capable, it's unknown whether he can survive over the long haul.

The 49ers have seen this scenario before and were a major part of it back in 2005. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was initially thought to be the top pick in the draft, but he ended up falling to the Green Bay Packers at 24th overall. Meanwhile, Smith surged up the charts just in time to woo San Francisco.

When comparing Smith to Rodgers up to this point in their careers, the latter has a decisive edge. It looked as if Rodgers was put into a much better situation, learning the ropes from future Hall of Famer Brett Favre. However, that was before Favre’s retirement and his controversial un-retirement that saw him end up with the New York Jets.

Rodgers was delegated to holding a clipboard during his first three NFL seasons, but he proved his worth in 2008. The Packers stood behind Rodgers even when Favre vocalized his desire to make a comeback. Rodgers responded by throwing for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns while maintaining a terrific passer rating of 98.3.

Smith, on the other hand, was thrown into the fire as a rookie and has been inconsistent throughout his time in the Bay Area. In twice as many games as Rodgers, he’s only thrown for 312 more career yards (4,679). Furthermore, he’s tossed 10 fewer touchdowns (19) and has served up an astounding 31 interceptions.

Sure, Rodgers’ time in Green Bay has been much more stable and he has superior playmakers around him. If Smith was surrounded by the likes of Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, his numbers would almost certainly be better. However, outside of the statistics, Rodgers looks like the much more seasoned player and displays a much greater poise than Smith.

This year has the makings to be a repeat of 2005 and the 49ers could be in the opposite end of the spectrum this time around. If USC QB Mark Sanchez is taken before Stafford, San Francisco could be in line to acquire the latter.

While San Francisco's decision to bring in Smith hasn’t been a good one, it may have a chance for redemption next month. Passing on Stafford, if he’s available, could leave the 49ers on the outside looking in for the second time in less than five years.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To ...
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