Quarterback isn’t a need, but they may want a third depending on the C.J. Beathard/Nick Mullens backup battle
The San Francisco 49ers have needs in the draft, but it’s well established and agreed upon that quarterback is one of the last things to look at. Except when it isn’t. Draft Analyst writer Tony Pauline reports that newly minted 49ers QB coach Shane Day met and worked out with Wagner quarterback T.J. Linta. Pauline says the 49ers were impressed with Linta.
Yep, a small school quarterback being looked at.
So who is T.J. Linta? Well he’s been slowly getting a name for himself this offseason and is represented by his father. He (allegedly) has the best wonderlic score of this year’s class. Here’s a nice highlight reel to get a look at if you want to see him in action.
There’s not much in the realm of breakdown on the internet but from what I’ve watched, this is a quarterback in the vein of Nick Mullens and Jimmy Garoppolo, meaning he plays from the pocket. That said, this kid also has some wheels. He’s not going to torch a defense with his legs, but from the several highlight films, it looks like he can get around the line and out of bounds. There’s also some nice windows thrown into as well. In all, he’s a nice small-school prospect.
You’re probably saying to yourself, “Why? The 49ers don’t need a quarterback.”
Well, they will need a third one behind Jimmy Garoppolo and the winner of the backup battle of C.J. Beathard vs. Nick Mullens. In the last two years, the 49ers have used two roster spots on quarterbacks and have their third quarterback on the practice squad. If history has said anything, the 49ers will get a third quarterback and put them on the practice squad in case of emergency. Keep in mind, even if Mullens doesn’t win the backup battle, there’s little chance he makes it past waivers to return to the practice squad—some quarterback needy team will burn a roster spot for him after the promising year he had.
So in all these outcomes, the 49ers are going to have two quarterbacks and wouldn’t want to burn a roster spot for a third. If Linta lit the world up, there’s nothing stopping the 49ers from doing the opposite; the New England Patriots did it for Tom Brady his rookie season. Linta could looks to be that possible third camp body that ends up on the practice squad and develops.
And don’t say the practice squad quarterback won’t even play. We know how that story ended in 2018.
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