In the NFL Draft this April, every team will search for a future franchise player. One of these teams, arguably in the greatest need of a promising future, will be the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners are coming off of their worst season since the early 2000s and will likely try to rebuild their team during the offseason.
Now that the Niners have filled their head coaching vacancy by hiring Chip Kelly, they will look to fill another hole at the quarterback position. This season was haunted by the dismal performances of Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, who finished 26th and 30th in total passer rating, respectively, out of 33 quarterbacks.
The 49ers’ front office has proved incompetent in the past, but this year they seem sure to pursue their franchise quarterback in the draft. This year’s class is led by quarterbacks Paxton Lynch from the University of Memphis and Connor Cook of Michigan State University. However, this April, the Niners need to have their sights set solely on Jared Goff from UC Berkeley—the former star quarterback at Marin Catholic High School.
The 49ers need Jared Goff. If all other teams ahead of them pass on Goff, the Niners should not pass up the opportunity. In addition to the talent he demonstrated at Berkeley, he would bring a larger fan base to the 49ers because of his local upbringing.
The team’s boring, unsuccessful playing style this season has had a negative effect on local interest in the team. The $1.3 billion stadium does not seem to be paying its dividends, as fans prefer to watch the Niners from their couch rather than make the trek down to Santa Clara.
The 49ers’ struggles have been amplified due to being surrounded by successful Bay Area teams. The Warriors, who stand as the best team in the NBA, and the Giants who have won three of the past six World Championships, are tough teams to follow. The Niners have become the laughingstock of Bay Area sports.
A promising rookie quarterback tends to generate excitement in a team’s fan base, and Goff seems to be the perfect player to draw interest in the 49ers. Not only would Goff’s presence generate buzz among longtime Niners fans and football fans, but it would also draw the attention of those purely interested in Goff’s success. UC Berkeley students and alumni would become more invested in the 49ers’ games, in the hopes of seeing success from the Cal graduate.
Goff was one of the most exciting quarterbacks in college this season. He completed 64 ½ percent of his passes for 43 touchdowns. Goff prospered in Cal’s “Bear Raid” offense which focuses on moving the ball through the air rather than on the ground, and finished the season with a 161.3 passer rating, far better than Kaepernick and Gabbert, who he would work to replace if drafted by the 49ers.
By selecting Goff, the Niners would also generate excitement in Marin, one of the largest pools of Bay Area sports fans. Those who went to MC or UC Berkeley with Goff, played against him on the field, or simply knew of him by living in the same county are likely to become interested in seeing how far he can take their hometown NFL team.
Marin athletes have made it to the NFL before—Cooper Helfet of Redwood currently plays for the Seattle Seahawks and is coached by Redwood graduate Pete Carroll. But Jared Goff’s situation would be far different. Goff would likely be the starting quarterback for one of the most popular teams among Marin residents and would have to carry the 49ers as they attempt to become a playoff-caliber team once again. Goff has the potential to be one of the biggest names in the NFL, coming from an area not traditionally known for its athletic prowess.
If Goff is drafted by the 49ers, he would be put in a high-pressure, high-expectation situation that would provide him the opportunity to turn a struggling franchise around. The search for a new franchise identity begins in April for the Niners, and Jared Goff is the top candidate to lead the 49ers to a strong 2016 season.
