If I ran the 49ers, I would start rookie C.J. Beathard over the veteran Brian Hoyer in the season opener against the Carolina Panthers.

Hoyer has done nothing to lose the job. His accuracy was quite impressive in the second preseason game against the Denver Broncos. Hoyer has already demonstrated strong leadership skills, and he’s clearly more well-versed in Kyle Shanahan’s complex offense than either Beathard or Matt Barkley.

Hoyer is a nice success story. He has found a way to hang around the NFL since coming into the league in 2009 as an undrafted free agent, but he is the definition of a journeyman. He has played on six teams over the past seven seasons and at the age of 31 he has accumulated a record of 16-15 as a regular season starter.

Beathard should start because he has better long-range potential.

If you study Beathard closely, you can see that he possesses special traits. As the grandson of former Redskins and Chargers’ GM Bobby Beathard, C.J. grew up around the game and because of it, football is important to him. In high school in Tennessee, Beathard was the best quarterback in the state in both his junior and senior seasons. He developed his quarterbacking skills in Iowa’s pro style system under Kirk Ferentz. At Iowa, Beathard showed toughness by playing the 2015 season with a sports hernia injury that would eventually require surgery. For complete 49ers coverage follow us on Flipboard.

Beathard has so many winning traits. He’s physically tough and insanely competitive. Beathard is smart with an excellent football IQ and was Academic All Big 10. He’s courageous. He stands tall in the pocket, keeps his eyes downfield, refuses to stare down the rush and remains poised under duress.

As a young father of one, he is already mentally mature and focused. He was a two-time team captain at Iowa and was viewed by his teammates as an unselfish, team-first guy who possesses the intangibles to lead. Beathard is also a film junkie who loves the process of professional football. He recognizes and understands coverages pre-snap. The bottom line is he wins. In a loaded Big 10 Conference, Beathard had a .750 winning percentage.

Beathard has been the 49ers’ most productive quarterback through two preseason games, completing 61% of his passes for 211 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He has consistently played with a calm demeanor normally seen from a veteran. He also showed against Denver that he has a nice rapport with tight end George Kittle, his teammate at Iowa.

Like all young quarterbacks, Beathard has things he needs to improve upon. He needs work on his deep-ball accuracy, and he needs to get better at feeling the pressure around him in the pocket. He tends to get stuck at the back of the pocket, and needs to learn how to climb the pocket to avoid the NFL’s elite speed rushers. Beathard was measured with 17% body fat at the Combine, so his conditioning is likely to improve significantly over time.

The 49ers signed Hoyer to a two-year deal worth $12 million ($9.8 million guaranteed) with the idea that he would be the starter in 2017 and maybe beyond. But that was before they landed Beathard in round three with pick No. 104. I expect Shanahan to start the season with Hoyer, but there is precedent for a team opting to go with the untested rookie. Like our San Francisco 49ers Facebook page for more 49ers news, commentary and conversation.

In 2012, Pete Carroll’s Seahawks had signed journeyman quarterback Matt Flynn to a three-year deal worth $20.5 million with $9 million guaranteed. Carroll and GM John Schneider also opted to draft Russell Wilson in round three, No. 75 overall. Three weeks into the 2012 exhibition season, Carroll named Wilson the starter over Flynn and Tavaris Jackson. Wilson went on to tie Peyton Manning’s rookie record of 26 passing touchdowns, finish 4th in the NFL in passer rating and led the Seahawks to the playoffs and a wildcard round victory over Washington.

Seattle knew what they had in Flynn and Jackson, and Wilson was an unknown, a wildcard. They rolled the dice and stumbled onto their next franchise quarterback. Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch could — and should — do the same.