With the 104th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, acquired by trade with the Vikings, the 49ers select quarterback C.J. Beathard out of Iowa. In order to move up to No. 104, the 49ers gave the Vikings this year's 109th and 219th picks.
- Draft Tracker: Round 3
104. San Francisco 49ers
Pete Prisco's Grade: C
"I would have taken Nathan Peterman here, but they need a developmental guy, so I get it."
Instant analysis
After spending most of his first-ever NFL draft trading back and grabbing excellent value picks, 49ers general manager John Lynch decided to make a move up the draft board late Friday night. The trade itself wasn't the only shocking aspect. So was the player the 49ers took with the pick they secured from the Vikings.
There's a new quarterback in Santa Clara! His name is C.J. Beathard and he played college football at Iowa. In four years there, he completed 58.1 percent of his passes, averaged 7.1 yards per attempt, and accumulated 40 passing touchdowns and 19 interceptions. What's more concerning: He averaged 6.4 yards per attempt and completed 56.5 percent of his passes in 2016. Clearly, Beathard is a developmental prospect.
It's worth wondering why the 49ers felt like they had to trade up to get him when other -- and arguably better -- developmental prospects like Peterman were still available.
#49ers coach Kyle Shanahan thought very highly of QB C.J. Beathard and believed he was the best fit for his system.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) April 29, 2017
Regardless of the reasoning, the move marked a strange end to Friday's action.
