San Francisco 49ers: Is Nick Mullens for real or a flash in the pan?
By Erik Lambert
Jimmy Garoppolo out? C.J. Beathard out? No problem for the San Francisco 49ers as they sent out rookie Nick Mullens for their 2nd win of 2018.
An undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi, the kid was near flawless on Thursday Night, carving up a beleaguered Oakland Raiders defense for 262 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-3 rout. People were dumbfounded by the performance. Nobody had ever even heard of the kid before that night and then he goes and does that. This begs the question. Do the 49ers have something special on their hands?
It’s hard not to lean on history a bit. Mullen is from Southern Miss and wears the #4. Know who else could say the same thing? Brett Favre. Obviously, that’s a major stretch after one game but it’s hard not to see the rookie getting an extended opportunity after a performance like that. Head coach Kyle Shanahan did his best to dissuade the idea of him making a decision on who starts next week, but it’s becoming clear which way the wind is blowing.
"“I’m taking my time with it, Shanahan said. “Also, I wouldn’t want to do that with all the guys out of the building. I’d like the whole team in here, too, when I decide that. … You try to make every decision, not just about personnel, but what you do in the building, everything is ultimately about wins and losses so you decide what gives you the best chance to win.”"
Who exactly is Nick Mullens and is he for real?
Mullens was quite an effective player during his run in college. His final two years there he threw for over 7,700 yards with 62 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions. At 6’1 he’s a bit on the shorter side but seems to have a good enough arm to make most of the throws required to run the offense. He’s accurate and doesn’t seem phased by the big stage.
This is all fine and good, but the scenario was perfect for him. It was at home against an opponent that had little information on him and boasted arguably the worst defense in the NFL. If he threw three TDs, one must shudder what an Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady would’ve done that night. Still, simply shrugging the performance off is unfair. It’s clear he can play.
What nobody knows is how high his ceiling is. Undrafted QBs don’t tend to rise too high these days. He’s hoping to be the first in a long time. San Francisco seems prepared to give him the chance.