SANTA CLARA – Two years ago, the topic was worthy of a spirited debate.
Cam Newton was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2011 draft. Four other quarterbacks were chosen before the 49ers traded up to select the new-age player who might have been the best of the bunch.
“It’s something I definitely haven’t forgot,” Colin Kaepernick said in October 2013 of seeing five quarterback-needy teams select players at that position before his name was called with the No. 36 overall pick.
In the divisional round of the NFC playoffs that season, Kaepernick threw for a touchdown and rushed for another score to pull off the 23-10 victory against Newton’s Carolina Panthers.