2016 NFL Mock Draft: San Francisco 49ers Select QB Carson Wentz at No. 7

With the seventh pick in the 2016 DBN Community NFL Mock Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select...

Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

The selection and write-up were made by apocrylle:

While Kelly is no QB whisperer, he runs an extremely QB-friendly scheme.  Kelly won 20 games across 2 seasons while trotting out Foles & Sanchez in '14 and '15 and actually the Eagles looked good doing it.  Even in a disappointing 2015 campaign, Kelly had Bradford playing above his head at times, clearly plagued by failures in execution of the run game and drops rather than the scheme failing to provide a relatively easy platform in which to deliver the ball.  What might Kelly be able to accomplish with a QB who has truly elite talent?  I'm sure the thought has crossed his mind.

Even before the first pick was made the 49ers could see there was no likely combination of picks that would be made ahead of them that would push them past the #3 choice on their big board, and the likelihood of reeling in their #1 or #2 option (Goff, Wentz) was also exceptionally high.  I can just imagine Kelly rubbing his hands together in glee.

Sure enough the chips fell perfectly for the 49ers in this DBN mock draft.  It's always nice to get the player your personnel team ranks #2 on the draft board with the 7th overall pick and that's exactly what we see here as the 49ers select Carson Wentz.  This team has a lot of holes, particularly on offense, but getting a superlative talent and leader like Wentz into the fold is a strong start to Kelly's tenure in Santa Clara.

While I had Goff as #1 on SF's big board due to his fit for their scheme, experience and age, the 49ers are nearly as high on Wentz. Besides the obvious physical traits & skills, Wentz displays excellent makeup, with above average intelligence & aptitude for the game.  Carson Wentz has what Kelly is looking for in a young QB - the ability to make quick reads and deliver the ball with high short & intermediate accuracy, while predominantly taking snaps out of shotgun. Wentz has the aptitude and quickness to run the packaged plays Kelly favours and probably will not even require much of his 3 and 5-step drop back skills developed in NDSU's pro-style system.  If anyone can transcend a smaller school background with fewer starts than QB's normally have coming into the league and transition successfully it is Carson Wentz on the 49ers.

Kelly's offense keys off of a relatively few number of inside zone runs out of shotgun (usually a spread formation rather than close).  With that base look the QB will often be expected to make a pre-snap decision to toggle between run or pass based on defensive alignment.  Alternatively the QB will be asked to make a post snap decision on what to do with the ball (including some Run-Pass Option "packaged plays" off of a defensive key).  The QB will rarely be expected to go through progressions to a 3rd read in this offense.  Kelly's offense uses a small playbook and relies upon out-execution as opposed to out-thinking the other team.  Opponents pretty much know what Kelly's going to do each game and his desire to toggle simply between run and pass out of shotgun-spread formations.

In terms of 2016 impact I would see Wentz likely sitting behind Gabbert and taking meaningful snaps if and when his own development and Gabbert's on field performance merits making the change. There would be no undue pressure to accelerate Wentz beyond what Kelly is comfortable with. If Wentz goes to the 49ers, when he does take his first NFL snap it will be in one of the simplest offensive schemes in the league for a young QB to execute.  If this decision turns out to be the home run I think it can be, Kelly may just have the chance to rejuvenate the flagging 49ers and set himself up for years of success with Wentz in Santa Clara.

+1 for using the word "glee" in the write-up. In all seriousness, this would be a great scenario for the 49ers, who need to distance themselves from Colin Kaepernick and ensure that the Chip Kelly era starts off with a quarterback he can shape for his offense. If Wentz lasts this far, it'll be interesting to see if the Jaguars or Ravens get some play in trade scenarios from the 49ers, Eagles, Bears, or Rams.

The Philadelphia Eagles are up next, led by Bizono.

2016 DBN Community Mock Draft Results (so far)