Can Kaepernick become a rare second-round standout?

Charlie Batch has a career passer rating of 77.9, about average for a quarterback drafted in the second round since 1996. -- AP

Quincy Carter, Kellen Clemens, Drew Stanton … welcome to the club, Colin Kaepernick! (Now don’t throw an interception on your way in.)

When the 49ers selected Kaepernick with the 36th overall pick in the draft, the former Nevada star joined a not-so-distinguished fraternity of recent second-round quarterbacks.

From 1996-2010, 16 quarterbacks were drafted in the second round. Of those 16, two have made Pro Bowls (Jake Plummer, Drew Brees) and the group has a combined career passer rating of 78.1.

Holy, Marques Tuiasosopo, those are low numbers for a group that was picked, on average, with the 48th overall pick.

In a phone interview last week, FOX analyst and former Ravens coach Brian Billick said there’s a reason most of those second-rounders haven’t starred. With teams traditionally reaching for even flawed quarterbacks in the first round, those still around at pick No. 33 generally have some serious question marks.

Since 1996, for example, 40 quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round, but just 18 have been selected in the second. If they aren’t good enough for the first round, it seems, teams figure they aren’t worth a second-round pick.

“Second-round choices have been historically bad,” Billick said. “When you look at the list of second-round draft choices over the last 15 years, it’s not an impressive group. Why? Because they’re there for a reason. They’re there because they got pushed out of the first round for some reason … But that doesn’t mean they’re not going to be good.”

So why was Kaepernick still available after 35 picks? In the lead up to the draft, Billick mentioned the Pistol offense he played in at Nevada raised questions about his ability to transition to an NFL system. He also said Kaepernick “doesn’t have the touch you’d like to see coming off some of his throws.”

But Jake Locker at No. 8? Christian Ponder at No. 12? Billick likes the value the 49ers got by landing Kaepernick more than 20 picks later.

“I thought he was the right player at the right time,” Billick said. “I really like him. I really like the choice. I think people kind of reached with some of the quarterbacks. I think Kaepernick has as big an upside as Ponder or Jake Locker. Where they got him, I think it was an excellent choice … It’s not going to happen right away. He was picked in the second round for some very good reasons, but I like the upside.”

• A look at the second-round quarterbacks since 1996 (combined career numbers: 10,386 of 17,644, 119,128 yards, 670 TD, 587 INT, 78.1 rating):

2010
48. Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame, Panthers
Career stats: 157 of 299, 1,559 yards, 3 TD, 9 INT, 58.4 rating

2009
44. Pat White, West Virginia, Dolphins
Career stats: 0 of 5, 0 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 39.6 rating

2008
56. Brian Brohm, Louisville, Packers
Career stats: 27 of 52, 252 yards, 0 TD, 5 INT, 26.0 rating

57. Chad Henne, Michigan, Dolphins
Career stats: 582 of 953, 6,246 yards, 27 TD, 33 INT, 75.3 rating

2007
36. Kevin Kolb, Houston, Eagles
Career stats: 194 of 319, 2,082 yards, 11 TD, 14 INT, 73.2 rating

40. John Beck, BYU, Dolphins

Career stats: 60 of 107, 559 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 62.0 rating

43. Drew Stanton, Michigan State, Lions
Career stats: 104 of 187, 1,158 yards, 5 TD, 9 INT, 63.1 rating

2006
49. Kellen Clemens, Oregon, Jets
Career stats: 147 of 284, 1,686, 5 TD, 11 INT, 59.7 rating

64. Tarvaris Jackson, Alabama State, Vikings
Career stats: 354 of 603, 3,984, 24 TD, 22 INT, 76.6 rating

2005
None

2004
None

2003
None

2002
None

2001
32. Drew Brees, Purdue, Chargers
Career stats: 3,145 of 4,822, 35,266 yards, 235 TD, 132 INT, 91.7 rating

53. Quincy Carter, Georgia, Cowboys
Career stats: 542 of 960, 6,337 yards, 32 TD, 37 INT, 71.7 rating

59. Marques Tuiasosopo, Washington, Raiders
Career stats: 49 of 90, 554 yards, 2 TD, 7 INT, 48.1 rating

2000
None

1999
50. Shaun King, Tulane, Buccaneers
Career stats: 415 of 738, 4,566 yards, 27 TD, 24 INT, 73.4 rating

1998
60. Charlie Batch, Eastern Michigan, Lions
Career stats: 848 of 1,510, 10,402 yards, 60 TD, 47 INT, 77.9 rating

1997
42. Jake Plummer, Arizona State, Cardinals
Career stats: 2484 of 4350, 29,253 yards, 161 TD, 161 INT, 74.6 rating

1996
42. Tony Banks, Michigan State, Rams

Career stats: 1,278 of 2,356, 15,315 yards, 77 TD, 73 INT, 72.4 rating

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