With The First Pick
Fansided

What Could’ve Been: 10 NFL draft picks whose careers had so much promise

By Anthony Pastore

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 16: Chris Borland #50 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a tackle against the New York Giants in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium on November 16, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 16: Chris Borland #50 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a tackle against the New York Giants in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium on November 16, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 24: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 24: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

#5 Colin Kaepernick: (2011, 49ers, 2nd round)

The record-setting second-round pick from Nevada stormed into the NFL with athleticism and ferocity few have seen from the quarterback position. Not since Randall Cunningham had the league seen such a unique blend of arm talent, size and athleticism.

Was Kaepernick ever the most polished QB? Of course not. But his dominance, when surrounded by NFL level talent, was evident.

The narrative that his game was manufactured by coaching was never accurate. Kaepernick’s struggles began when Trent Baalke and the 49ers organization thoroughly failed him. They fired his biggest advocate in Jim Harbaugh and destroyed the roster around him. By the time Kaepernick was benched for Blaine Gabbert the 49ers were an expansion team. Not for a second, before Jimmy Garappolo’s arrival, was Kaepernick not the best option at quarterback.

Who knows where Kaepernick would be right now if circumstances with the 49ers front office and coaching staff were different.

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