It looked for a long time in the lead up to the NFL draft like University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was a lock to go in the top three picks. Now it seems like his stock is starting to slide. That could lead to a significant win for the San Francisco 49ers on Draft Day.

The 49ers aren’t likely to be on the hunt for a QB with the 11th overall pick. In fact, that’s probably one of the handful of positions we can take off the board for them entirely barring a dramatic shift in their feelings about quarterback Brock Purdy.

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We’ve discussed before how a third QB jumping into the top 10 could be a boon for the 49ers because it opens the door for a quality player to fall to them just outside the first 10 picks. Now it looks like Sanders may not be a lock to go in the top three. ESPN’s Mel Kiper had him going No. 9 in his most recent projections. He’s 34th on Dane Brugler’s top 100 in the Athletic, and down one spot to No. 19 in Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50 for NFL.com.

In the event Sanders slips outside the top 10, it puts the 49ers in a prime spot to potentially trade down − a move they should be looking to make so they can accumulate more draft capital and get to a place in the first round where a glut of defensive line talent should be waiting for them. There are always players teams may love and want to move up for, but a quarterback is a different story. If Sanders gets outside the top 10 there could be a real opportunity for the 49ers to start a bidding war for their pick with teams like Indianapolis (No. 14), Seattle (No. 18) and Pittsburgh (No. 21) all potentially in the mix to add a new QB in this year’s draft. Dallas at No. 12 is also an NFL draft wild card and we can’t remove them from any list of teams that may be looking to make a big-time splash in the first round.

Sanders is a good prospect at the most important position in the league. His draft stock may slip from the top three, but it seems highly unlikely he tumbles all the way out of the top 10. If he does, it may lead to a significant early win in the NFL draft for San Francisco.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Shedeur Sanders slide in Round 1 of NFL draft could benefit 49ers