NFL Draft 2011: Blaine Gabbert to San Francisco 49ers Heating Up?

According to ESPN, seven out of the top eight teams in the NFL draft are set to meet with Da'Quan Bowers. The 49ers are the eighth team.

Bowers has drawn Julius Peppers comparisons. He projects better as a 4-3 rush end, but could be placed opposite Justin Smith as a five-technique defensive end in the 3-4.

The 49ers probably won't see Bowers on the board when they draft at No. 7, but their reluctance to meet with him prior to the draft suggests the 49ers have a narrower number of targets in mind than anticipated.

Many 49er fans believe the 49ers should resist taking a quarterback in the first round. With the overabundance of defensive talent at the the top of the draft, it seems as though addressing the defensive side of the ball may be in the best interest of the team in the long run.

Jim Harbaugh may tend to disagree.

He was one of five head coaches at Blaine Gabbert's pro day where Gabbert was overly impressive. Gabbert could also be gone by the time Harbaugh and the 49ers draft, but his attendance at the pro day is revealing of the direction the 49ers are going to go on draft day.

Just because Harbaugh attended Gabbert's pro day doesn't mean he is going to select a quarterback with the seventh overall pick. It does, however, suggest that it is a possibility. It could also mean if the 49ers go a different direction in the first round, they will still actively pursue a quarterback in the early rounds.

In a scenario that would be unpopular with the general fanbase, the 49ers could trade up to snag Gabbert. If Harbaugh sees a franchise quarterback in Gabbert, it may be worth coupling together a few picks to move up in front of say...Arizona.

Having a great talent end up in division is the worst-case scenario. The 49ers already have to see Sam Bradford twice a year. If Gabbert turns out to be a solid NFL quarterback, the 49ers are going to be surrounded with promising talent at the quarterback position, without one of their own.

The 49ers still need a defensive tackle, cornerback and pass rusher. They aren't meeting with Bowers, but they could still address the pass rush void by drafting a guy like Von Miller.

Whatever the case may be, Harbaugh needs to be sure not to tip his hand. By not meeting with Bowers, it reveals more of their draft intentions. At this point, the 49ers are a wild card, which is exactly what they want to be heading into draft day.