2018 NFL Mock Draft: 6 Surprise quarterback trades cause madness

In the middle of last season, the San Francisco 49ers appeared to be heading towards another disappointing season following a 1-10 start, that is until Jimmy Garoppolo took over the starting role at quarterback. Acquiring the former New England Patriots backup in the middle of last season was one of the best decisions the 49ers could have made since Kyle Shanahan finally has his quarterback to build an offense around, as many believe this team could take the serious leap to becoming strong contenders in the NFC.

The fact that San Francisco was one of the hottest teams to close out the 2017 season by winning each of their final five games shows why there’s so much hype surrounding Shanahan’s team heading into his second season as head coach. Locking Garoppolo up for the long run with a hefty contract was clearly the right move since another team most likely would have jumped on the opportunity if the 49ers decided not to, but how far this team goes in 2018 may fall on the shoulders of the defense.

Derwin James seems like the perfect candidate to join a team on the rise like San Francisco when looking at how much of an impact he was able to make over the years playing at Florida State. There’s a reason why James is considered one of the top safeties from this year’s class, and the 49ers may not have a choice other than to select him at No. 9 if he isn’t selected in the first eight picks.