Kyle Shanahan probably isn't paying much interest to draft declarations at this point in the offseason as he sets about the task of reassembling his San Francisco 49ers coaching staff.
But there was one quarterback declaration this week that might have piqued his interest.
Following Texas' heartbreaking loss to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers ended his collegiate career by declaring for the 2025 draft.
As the face of a Texas team firmly back in the National Championship conversation, Ewers will be one of the more high-profile quarterbacks in the class, though he is unlikely to hear his name called until day two of the draft at the earliest.
But depending on how far he falls, the 49ers could well be a candidate to call Ewers' name.
With Joshua Dobbs and Brandon Allen both set for unrestricted free agency, the 49ers have a need a backup quarterback, and would likely benefit from having a young signal-caller to develop behind Brock Purdy.
Texas is Shanahan's alma mater and he is good friends with Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian. In 2023, Shanahan helped out with Texas' coaching clinic and provided insight to the Longhorns staff as to how he uses the versatile playmakers in his offense.
As such, Shanahan will be able to get insight into the Longhorns prospects in the 2025 class, including Ewers, whose skill set figures to make him a strong fit for the 49er offense.
In his draft profile of Ewers, A to Z Sports' Ian Valentino praised his natural arm talent and pre-snap processing, while questioning Ewers' mobility and decision-making beyond his first read.
Valentino compared Ewers to Tua Tagovailoa, a first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins who, when healthy, has thrived in a scheme run by Shanahan's former offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
The 49ers are likely to have 10 picks in the 2025 draft, and they have substantially more pressing needs than quarterback.
However, they are projected to have three fourth-round selections on day three owing to compensatory picks. If Ewers is still waiting by that point in the draft, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Shanahan make the decision to add Ewers to his quarterback room and give the 49ers another option behind Purdy who at the age of 21 still has a lot of room to grow.
The 49ers will pick players off tape and their fit in the locker room rather than any kind of link between coaches and college programs. Yet, connecting the dots, it isn't difficult to see a scenario in which the man who almost took Texas to the National Championship Game goes to the team still desperate to get over the hump in its quest for a sixth Super Bowl title after taking a step back in 2024.
