Kyle Shanahan Explains The Shocking C.J. Beathard Pick
By Erik Lambert
There were more than few people during the NFL draft stunned when the San Francisco 49ers picked Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard.
Not only did they pick him, but they did so in the 3rd round. This despite several scouting reports saying he was destined for somewhere in the 5th to 7th round range. Some even felt he was undraftable. Not only does he have a history of injury issues, he compounds that by being hesitant at times pulling the trigger. This of course leads to unnecessary hits at times, which only exacerbates the healthy concerns.
Yet the 49ers seemed undeterred. They felt his experience in a pro-style system was something to work with as they try to rebuild the roster. Head coach Kyle Shanahan wasn’t bashful in his praise and high expectations of his new QB. In fact he went so far as to make a rather flattering comparison for Beathard. One fans no doubt hope comes true.
Speaking in the 49ers' draft room Friday, coach Kyle Shanahan said third-round QB C.J. Beathard "reminds me a lot of Kirk Cousins."
— Pro Football Spot (@pfspot) May 1, 2017
From an operative, size and skill set standpoint it’s not a huge stretch. Kirk Cousins also came out of college a polished, pro-style passer from Michigan State. He could run a quick-hitting, efficient passing attack and use his athleticism to run bootleg play action fakes. Beathard proved at Iowa he’s capable of all the same things.
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Shanahan at this point has every reason to feel confident in his ability as a coach. He led the hottest offense with an MVP quarterback in the NFL to the Super Bowl. At this point it’s easy for a man to feel like he can turn anybody into a star. Maybe he’s right and almost everybody just can’t see what he does with Beathard. In fairness it was much the same with Cousins, who is now a Pro Bowler in Washington. Time will tell if the 49ers stole one.