It’s starting to appear that sixth-round pick Jeff Driskel, a quarterback from Louisiana Tech, has a good chance to make the 49ers’ active roster in 2016.
While no one is predicting Driskel will beat out either Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick for the No. 1 or No. 2 QB job, Driskel’s athletic ability, good speed and willingness to play special teams may force the 49ers to carry three quarterbacks on game days.
This offseason – including at last week’s full-squad minicamp – Driskel has been playing special teams, on punt- and kick-coverage units, and as a personal protector in punt formation.
Special teams coordinator Derius Swinton told Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee that Driskel could be a special weapon on fake punts.
“We want to put a little thing in the back of (opponents’) heads that if we throw him out there, what can you do now if we have our (personal protector) who can throw the ball, he can run the ball?”
Driskel, in fact, had the fastest 40-yard dash time among all QBs at the NFL Combine in Feburary, as did his broad jump. Driskel also is big at 234 pounds, so he’s so far fit in well in covering punts and kicks.
“If you have a quarterback that can do that, it pays dividends for us,” Swinton told Barrows.
