Tim Kawakami So what quarterback will it be for the 49ers

Let's ignore the intricacies and random coin-flip guesses and gostraight to the marquee questions about the 49ers' 2011 draft:Which quarterback will they get, how will they get him, and willhe be worth the effort?My guess: The 49ers will land TCU's Andy Daltonwith a trade into the late stages of Thursday's first round, orFlorida State's Christian Ponder somewhere in the second roundFriday.Dalton and Ponder are efficient, athletic quarterbacks who seemlike strong fits for coach Jim Harbaugh's version of the West CoastOffense.Neither seems like a pending superstar. Both just seem likesmart, steady, coachable quarterbacks for a team that hasn't hadone in a long time.However, there will be a trick to getting either Dalton with apick in the teens or 20s, Ponder with a pick in the 30s and that'swhere this whole draft turns for the 49ers.Of course, it will take some time to sort out the selection, andeven longer to get a full fair judgment of the quarterbackconsequences.The 49ers' top two picks are at No. 7and No. 45 overall, which presents some complexities.Even for a team as desperate for a quarterback, that hasannounced it will draft one at some point, and hired Harbaugh inlarge part for his ability to divine quarterback talent, No. 7seems like an awkward quarterback spot in this draft.Actually, it's the perfect place to get an elite defensiveplayer perhaps play-making LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson, if heshould slip past the first six teams.If Peterson is there, I think the 49ers will take him without pause orreflection, and plan for a quarterback in later selections.But what if Peterson is gone and strong-armed Missouriquarterback Blaine Gabbert is there at No. 7? That would presentHarbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke with their first hugequestion take Gabbert, take somebody else or trade the pick to ateam that really wanted Gabbert?I think the 49ers, at this point,arado rmt, would try tomove down, because I don't think Gabbert is an ideal fit.If they move down, they could possibly land Dalton with a lowerfirst-round choice or Ponder if they move further back and pick upan extra pick or two along the way.Their first two picks could turn out to be Peterson and Ponder(if they keep No. 7); or, if they trade down,ダークブラッド RMT, the top two 49ers' picks could possibly beNebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara and Ponder.Both are potential winning scenarios for the 49ers, I think, and would take somestrategizing.It would take a plan. They couldn't do this off-the-cuff.And what I'm hearing from people talking to 49ers scouts and executives is thatthe talent-evaluation process is as unified and clear-minded asanyone there can remember.That's a good sign for them, naturally. You want everyone onboard, on every pick, especially if it's for the futurequarterback.But the 49ers have to get the rightquarterback, at the right spot, whether they are unified on thedecision or not.Mostly, this decision will fall on Harbaugh's gut instinct andBaalke's ability to maneuver the 49ers into the best draft positionto take advantage."It's the DNA of quarterbacks," Harbaugh said last week whenasked how he evaluates the position. They have it, or theydon't,DarkBlood RMT."That's vague enough possibly to describe anybody from Auburn'sCam Newton at the top of the draft to Iowa's Ricky Stanzi in themiddle rounds but interesting enough to give us some guessworkhints.The 49ers will get a quarterback inthis draft. I don't think it will be Newton and he's likely to gofar ahead of the 49ers' No. 7 pick, anyway. I don'tthink it will be Gabbert.I don't think it will be Washington's Jake Locker, who is atough competitor but who was awfully inefficient in college.I don't think it will be Arkansas' Ryan Mallett or Nevada'sColin Kaepernick, though I can imagine Harbaugh getting tempted byKaepernick's raw size and skill.I think it will be Dalton or Ponder, if the 49ers can work this out right.Neither quarterback will wipe out the queasy memory of pickingAlex Smith in 2005, at least not right away. Heck, it's verypossible Ponder or Dalton will compete with Smith this season, ifSmith accepts the 49ers' offer to come back.But if the 49ers get this right, and if I'mright that they want Dalton or Ponder, then it will be the start ofthe next real quarterback generation, only seven years toolate.Tim Kawakami is a San Jose Mercury News columnist.NFL Draft· Today at 5 p.m. on ESPN