The Jimmy Garoppolo hype train didn't even wait until the quarterback's first training camp with the 49ers to go from local to a national express.
In the week leading up to Garoppolo's reporting to San Francisco camp, we read about his date with an adult-film star, how he thought he was better than Tom Brady while in New England and how he still gets congratulatory texts from Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
We didn't need one tabloid item and two more in-depth features to know the expectations for Garoppolo, now the third highest paid player in the NFL. They fall somewhere between leading the 49ers to the playoffs in 2018 and fast-tracking to the Hall of Fame with a career that rivals that of Brady.
Sporting News has bought in; we ranked ranked Garoppolo eighth among starting quarterbacks this year. Despite starting less than half a season in San Francisco, he also ranked No. 90 in the NFL Network's Top 100 players. The consensus expert fantasy football rankings have him as the No. 13 QB, with an even higher average draft position of ninth among QBs.
Garoppolo's first five starts as a 49er produced 1,542 passing yards, 6 TDs, 5 INTs, a 67.0 completion percentage, a 93.9 rating and a 5-0 record with a pair of fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives. Projected over a full 16 games, he would have had 4,934 passing yards and 8.8 yards per attempt, numbers that would have trumped those of Brady and the rest of the league.
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Many look back fondly on Garoppolo's past, whether it's his development into an unlikely 2014 second-round draft pick out of Eastern Illinois or his time around Patriots legends. But Garoppolo's future is more interesting.
Forget what he learned from Brady and Belichick. Garoppolo's physical talent and accelerated work with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan will allow him to rise to the anticipated level.
In Atlanta, before Matt Ryan won league MVP in 2016, the Falcons quarterback looked lost during his first full season in the system of Shananan, then an offensive coordinator. Garoppolo was named 49ers starter less than a month after he arrived in San Francisco. His learning under Brady and Belichick is one thing, but being mentally sharp enough to absorb a new, complicated offense so quickly under Shanahan is something else.
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Garoppolo last season got the job done with Marquise Goodwin as his only good veteran wideout, a dragging running game and an offense not well-equipped for the red zone. Now, the support, balance and protection for Garoppolo all have improved.
Pierre Garcon is back healthy to flank Goodwin. Jerick McKinnon was signed to bring some versatility as a feature back. George Kittle will be able finish drives better from his tight end position.
Left tackle Joe Staley is coming off a terrific season late in his career, and he now has some help at two other positions critical to protecting the QB in center Weston Richburg and rookie right tackle Mike McGlinchey. Garoppolo was sacked only eight times in his five starts last season, and he wasn't fazed by the "Sacksonville" pass rush when the 49ers beat the Jaguars in Week 16.
Garoppolo's athleticism is something Brady does not have, and his naturally quick release can't be coached. His instincts and confidence are off the charts. Some have questioned his arm strength and downfield accuracy, but those weaknesses did not manifest last year as Garoppolo aggressively played to his strengths when unleashed as the starter.
Doubters point to a limited sample size and wonder whether defenses will catch up to Garoppolo's playing style. But sometimes it's obvious — think back to when Aaron Rodgers seamlessly took over for Brett Favre in Green Bay, or even when fellow former Eastern Illinois QB Tony Romo delivered right away as a starter in Dallas.
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Given how quickly recent top draft picks have been forced into the starting lineup, it's unconventional in today's NFL for a franchise QB to have to wait until age 25 to take off. But Garoppolo would have been a first-round pick had he played in a major conference, and he would have started immediately in almost any situation other than one behind a future Hall of Famer.
This time of year when players arrive for training camps is the season for NFL puff pieces, but none of the praise for Garoppolo is presumptuous. Those who think he still needs to prove himself will be forced to play catch-up soon.
