NFL Draft 2011: Why Colin Kaepernick Will Be Drafted in the First Round

The time has finally come. Tomorrow, the NFL draft will take place.

For months, players, their agents, draft watchers, the scouts and the media have been speculating about who will be drafted and in what round.

I have followed Nevada's Colin Kaepernick very closely since his first game in 2007 against Boise State. In what ranks as one of the most exciting games in college football history, Kaepernick nearly knocked off the Broncos in a four-overtime thriller, 69-67. That same BSU team went on to defeat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

Kaepernick would try and try again to beat the Broncos. Despite outscoring Boise in the second half in 2008 and from the second quarter on in 2009, he would lose by narrow margins.

Not so in 2010.

In what many consider to be another one of the most exciting games in college football history, Kaepernick led Nevada back from a first-half deficit to beat BSU, and in doing so, catapulted himself from obscurity into the limelight.

After a solid bowl victory over Boston College and outstanding performances in the Senior Bowl and at the NFL combine, Kaepernick has finally gotten the attention he has deserved for a very long time.

His stats speak for themselves. He is the only player in history to pass for over 2,000 and rush for over 1,000 yards in three seasons. He tied the record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback at 59. But the best record of all: He is the only player ever to have passed for over 10,000 yards while rushing for over 4,000.

In four games against Boise State, admittedly one of the best teams in college football, Kaepernick himself rushed for 391 yards and three scores. He passed for 884 yards with 10 touchdowns while amassing 1,999 yards of total offense and 168 points.

But it was his performance at the combine that really caught the attention of the scouts.

Kaepernick outperformed Heisman-winner Cam Newton. According to their mutual trainer, "All the things Cam Newton does, Colin Kaepernick does better."

So, with the draft fast approaching, most fans and pundits have Kaepernick going in the second or third round. I think they will be surprised.

Here's my prediction: Kaepernick will be drafted in Round 1 by San Francisco.

Here's why: Coach Jim Harbaugh missed his opportunity to recruit Kaepernick out of high school for Stanford. He watched as Nevada became a Top-25 team and saw Kaepernick absolutely destroy their rival, Cal.

Harbaugh won't make the same mistake twice. He missed him the first time.  But he won't miss him again. 

Kaepernick will have an army of fans from the central valley of California and from Reno at every game. Over 25,000 packed AT&T Park to watch Nevada defeat Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Kaepernick has the talent to be a franchise quarterback and the persona to be a star.

So, with the the seventh pick in the 2011 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers chose Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Doesn't that sound really nice?