Niners' Lost Season Could Produce Exceptional Draft Position

At 3-7 following loss to Seattle, San Francisco would have No. 6 pick in 2016 draft if the season ended this week

In recent seasons, the 49ers have had to wait a while to make their first pick in the NFL Draft. Thanks to a resurgence in the Jim Harbaugh era – in which the Niners went to three straight NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl – San Francisco had the 30th overall pick in both 2012 and 2014 and was due to pick 31st in 2013 until it moved up to 18th via trade.

Last season, following a fall to 8-8, the 49ers moved all the way up to 17th.

The upshot, of course, is that it can be hard to come away with a major impact player down low in the draft, and the 49ers’ No. 1 picks since 2012 – A.J. Jenkins, Eric Reid, Jimmie Ward and Arik Armstead – reflect that. Reid has been a terrific safety, but Jenkins was a bust and the jury is still out on Ward and Armstead.

But with failure can come success – or, at least, a small dose of optimism.

At 3-7 following their loss to the Seahawks Sunday, the 49ers rank among the worst teams in the NFL in 2015. That, of course, puts them in the running to earn one of the top picks in the 2016 draft.

As David Fucillo of SB Nation noted Monday, the 49ers moved up to No. 6 overall with Sunday’s loss, based on record and strength of schedule. Only three teams have fewer wins (Browns, Chargers and Titans all at 2-8).

With six games remaining, it’s possible the 49ers could stumble their way up the draft order.

With Colin Kaepernick benched and now out for the remainder of the season and the quarterback duties in the hands of Blaine Gabbert – who will have to prove he deserves a chance to start again next season – that could put the 49ers in position to draft a young quarterback to rebuild the franchise this spring.

There could be a number of potential franchise QBs available (should they choose to enter the draft), including juniors Jared Goff of Cal, Paxton Lynch of Memphis and Christian Hackenberg of Penn State.

Lynch, a 6-foot-6, 230-pounder, may be the best of the bunch, say many evaluators, because of his arm strength, accuracy, ability to throw a variety of passes and his mobility. This season, Lynch has 21 TD passes vs. just three interceptions, has completed 69 percent of his throws and has a 159.2 quarterback rating.

Will the 49ers be high enough in the draft to get a quarterback they believe they can build around? That may be difficult. Over the final six games, the Niners face the 2-8 Browns, 3-7 Lions and 4-6 Bears and Rams. Two or three victories could knock them right out of next year’s top 10 in the draft order.

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