Jim Harbaugh + San Francisco 49ers = Andrew Luck in 2011 NFL Supplemental Draft

Jim Harbaugh agreed to a five-year, $25 million contract to become the next head coach for the San Francisco.  What does he inherit at the quarterback position? A former No. 1 pick in Alex Smith and a former Heisman trophy winner in Troy Smith.  In other words, nothing.  The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and the 49ers have the 7th pick in this year's quarterback heavy draft.  Unfortunately, the quarterback they (and everyone else in need of a quarterback) wanted decided NOT to submit his name for the NFL Draft. I guess the 49ers "luck" isn't that good, or is it?

The Recruitment Plan
It seems unlikely that Andrew Luck could be convinced to enter the draft, as Harbaugh must have told him his intentions prior to Luck's decision.  One might say that Jim has successfully recruited Andrew once before, what is to stop him now?  The NFL draft that's who, and more specifically the Carolina Panthers, who hold the No. 1 pick in this year's draft.  

The Eli Manning Plan
History tells us that the NFL draft can be manipulated, see generally Eli Manning. Eli essentially said "I want to play in New York, or I am going to take my ball and go home."  Eli got his way and with the aide of a helmet, David Tyree and a half dozen uncalled holding penalties went on to win the Super Bowl.  

Back to the draft.  In both 2011 and 2004 there were/are elite quarterback prospects.  2004 had Eli, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Schaub. 2011 has the potential for Luck, Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, Arkansas's Ryan Mallett, Washington's Jake Locker, Auburn's Cam Newton, Florida State's Christian Ponder.  The difference is San Fransisco is at the seven spot while the New York Giants were at the four.  

Moving up three spots cost the Giants a third-round pick in 2004 and a future first-round pick. Therefore, Carolina would be able to command far too much from the 49ers in a trade due to a bidding war created from three other suitors desperately in-need of a franchise quarterback (Bills, Bengals and Cardinals all lie in between the Panthers and San Fransisco).  

The Kirk Cameron/Alan Thicke Plan
The 49ers could tank the 2011 NFL season by cutting all players with large contracts, give young players experience and live with the growing pains.  This would be the equivalent of playing all freshman knowing you might lose all your games, but you're banking on the hope this helps your team in the future.  The problem with this plan is Jim Harbaugh is extremely competitive and would not tolerate the losing culture in the locker room. 

Furthermore, the NFL 2011 season is in jeopardy, and there is no guarantee that San Fransisco can manipulate the draft.  After all, the 2011 NFL season seems so vulnerable, that college players are citing it as a reason to play it safe and wait until a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is signed so they can guarantee themselves a season of playing football.  

Losing a year of competitive football potentially can make you eat/drink yourself out of a job, see generally Mike Williams and LenDale White. However, in all likelihood, the CBA will be signed, and according to my sources, it will reduce rookie player's guaranteed money starting in 2012, costing Andrew Luck tens of millions.

The Bernie Kosar - History lesson No. 2 
Back in 1982, Bernie Kosar was wanted to play in Cleveland, but the Bills had the No. 1 pick.   Kosar and the Browns designed a way to get Kosar in the 1985 Supplemental Draft.  For a full discussion see the following Wikipedia article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Kosar#NFL_Draft_controversy

Since the Kosar NFL Draft Controversy, the NFL has changed its supplemental draft rules.  However, three basic steps should enable the 49ers to get "Lucky":

1. Do not petition the league for early entry before the NFL Draft deadline but are ineligible for the upcoming college season.

As a Redshirt Sophomore Andrew Luck is draft eligible because he is three years removed from high school.  Luck hasn't submitted his name and only has until January 15th. Provided he goes to Deion Sanders' house with Dez Bryant, and then lies about it, he will be deemed ineligible by precedence.  Or he could just hire an agent.

2. Teams with six wins or less participate in the first lottery for the top supplemental draft picks.  

The 49ers were 6-10 is 2010.

3. Each team submits to the league the name of the player(s) they are interested in, as well as the round of the supplemental draft they would like to choose them in. The team that submits the highest bid is awarded rights to the player.

After April's draft teams with glaring QB needs (Carolina, Buffalo, Cincinnati and Arizona) would have drafted their new "franchise quarterback" via Gabbert, Newton, Mallett, Locker, Dalton, Ponder, etc.

Therefore, using history and creative timing, the 49ers could draft a franchise cornerback in Prince Amukamara or Patrick Peterson and pick up a prospect that Trent Dilfer calls "the most complete quarterback since John Elway."  This locks down the two toughest positions to fill and doing it in one offseason.  

Even if the 49ers were to get into trouble, it would be worth a first-round pick to gain a locally grown special talent to which your new head coach is intimately familiar. Again, there is precedence in the Kosar controversy, where Cleveland was not penalized.

If this were to work, then Andrew Luck is a devious genius, majoring in complex architecture at Stanford.  If not, Andrew needs to change his major to philanthropy because he just donated  $20-30 million to a University of Missouri finance major (Blaine Gabbert).