The 49ers have been most heavily connected to Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, and many expect John Lynch & Co. to nab the Crimson Tide passer when they are on the clock with the No. 3 overall pick. But Trey Lance‘s Pro Day is tomorrow, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com says the Niners are heading into Lance’s showcase with a completely open mind (video link).
Fowler goes on to say that Lance could swing the pendulum in his favor if he performs well. As reported previously, the North Dakota State product will run drills that are favored by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in an effort to show that he can thrive in a system that on the surface appears to be best-suited to Jones. He will also have NFL staffers running his throwing session as opposed to his own coaches.
San Francisco attended Justin Fields‘ Pro Day earlier this week — his workout was also tailored to the 49ers’ system — and Shanahan has spoken with Fields’ pre-draft coach, John Beck, multiple times this offseason. According to Fowler, Fields was able to allay concerns that the Niners and other clubs have with respect to his decision-making ability with intelligent Zoom meetings where he discussed his thought processes and his gameday preparation.
Fowler sort of implies, however, that Fields is not really in the mix for the No. 3 pick, saying that if the 49ers don’t pick him, it’s not because they don’t like him, it’s because they love someone else. But on a recent segment on VSin, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi offers a much more straightforward take. Lombardi’s sources tell him that if San Francisco does not draft Jones, then Lance will be the pick, not Fields (video link).
Either way, none of those three signal-callers will have to wait too long to hear their names called. With a number of QB-needy clubs holding picks that put them in range for a player like Jones, Lance, or Fields — or at least make a trade up a reasonable proposition — we are expecting five signal-callers to be off the board within the first 10-12 selections.
No way 49ers traded that huge haul to the Dolphins to take a gamble on Lance.
Reports are saying its mac jones, but justin fields running ability might fit better in their offense with deebo samuel. Much like mahomes and hill
I agree. Taking Lance at #3 would be a massive mistake, and the 49ers just don’t make a ton of those. I could see them being genuinely curious in the event the Jets do something unexpected at #2, but I can’t really see Lance as their guy given what they gave up.
They’re all gambles…..all of those guys past TL have weaknesses.
Even TL has weaknesses, as he stares down receivers – which will be a problem in the NFL.
Yeah I phrased that wrong….didn’t mean to imply he didn’t. He’s just the safest bet of being a long term success. (Least likely to bust.). The other 4 have glaring weaknesses. That’s why UM took the Jax job, he knew he was getting TL.
Jones, Fields, Lance are all on the same level of risk beneath that. All 3 could be HOFers, all 3 could bust. I think only 1 of the 3 ends up being a long term solution for a team.
Trask….good luck with him.
Theres a difference between taking a gamble on a qb like jones or fields whos played against nfl caliber players vs. A gamble on Trey Lance coming from a small D2 school who didnt play last year, played like game or something
If 49ers stayed at 12 and took Trey Lance alright, may be a bit of a reach but ok least you kept draft picks. But they traded 2 future 1sts in 2022 and 2023. Does a GM really take that risk and wind up sacrificing what could be top 5 or top 10 picks?
Trey Lance comes with a lot bigger question marks, especially during an odd year in 2020.
He could wind up being a star could bust. So could fields or jones.
He played for a powerhouse D1 school (1AA), not small D2 school. And he did play last year, one game and he didn’t play well.
Drafting Mac Jones at #3 is a terrible, terrible selection.
Idk why the 49ers traded up.
Carolina was shopping Teddy Bridgewater
Trade the #12 to Carolina for Teddy, the #8, and other draft picks for the 49ers to absorb the contract.
Think Teddy would have been a good 2 year stop gap for the 49ers.
Carolina moves back couple spots to unload the contract.
No thanks on Noodle arm Bridgewater.
Bridgwater, #8, and other draft picks from Carolina
Vs.
#3 and the 49ers giving up 2 1sts, and a 2022 3rd.
Bridgewater is a stable QB who played the majority of the year without CMC. 49ers definitely have a similar skilled WR group, a better TE, and better depth at RB.
We will see who the 49ers picks, but they could have taken bridgewater, knabbed Jones, Lance at 8, and walked away with draft picks in their pocket…..while keeping the ones they gave up.
I feel like JimmyG and TeddyB are pretty much the same guy.
I feel like all 5 QB’s will bust out. I just don’t see it for any of them. Desperation causes you to put blinders on.
I agree with this assessment. These guys are so hyped right now
I disagree BF. I think they all have a very good chance to be successful. Any QB desperate team that does not take the 49ers approach to pay dearly to move up for the most important position is making a mistake IMO.
Lawrence will absolutely not be a bust.
Wilson will be a solid starter. Some might term him a bust, depending on expectations.
The other 3, absolutely, the bust potential is very real.
i wouldnt say all of them, but id be shoked if more then two of them are particularly great. (and i doubt even Lawrence, as good as he probably will be, will be as good as expected)
I think it depends on your definition of bust, particularly with Mac Jones. If you expect all of these guys to be Patrick Mahomes, then prepare to be disappointed. But if you are little more open minded your team has an offensive staff that can scheme to their strengths and mask some of their flaws, then most of these guys have a chance to be productive.
The 49’ers have the ability to take a chance on a QB, as they can always fall back to Garoppolo if the dude flops. Shanahan probably still has nightmares about the RG III experience, and with his solid receiving corps will likely lean towards the guy with the best passing skills.
BR has a great report why trading up for a QB usually never works out.
link to bleacherreport.com
Worth the read.
QBs do NOT have to be drafted in the 1st round to become a great QB in the NFL. As I remember a guy by the Name Joe Montana was drafted in the 3rd Round and another QB was NOT even drafted by the NFL, but the USFL and came over later and signed with the Niners. I believe his name was Steven Young. The Kurt Warner never was drafted and turned out pretty good also.
Corrected : Steve Young was drafted by the TB Buccaneers in 84.
There are only 4 non first round qbs who are guaranteed to start next year, 2 of which were high 2nd round picks. Nowadays 2nd round qb talent goes in round 1, and Russell Wilson wouldn’t have dropped due to his height. Unless you’ve found Tom Brady, you need to draft a qb early.
The majority of NFL starting QBs were 1st round picks. Finding a HOF later is beyond rare.
This is all BS. No GM, owner or any legitimate front office person is telling the truth at this point. They posture so teams in front of them take the wrong guy, or they posture to entice other teams to over spend to trade up.
Also, If you are picking a QB with one of the top 10 picks of the draft, that QB better be a Hall of Fame caliber player to come close to expectations.
All this being said, emotion is high and I am sure front offices getting into the biggest shouting matches leading up to draft day.
49ers traded up knowing there was someone there they were comfortable drafting at 3. Now they are looking to see how others compare. The only guy to have his pro day before the Niners moved up was Lance. If you listen to shanahan he describes his ultimate qb as someone who can run because it forces the D to cover it, opening more options for play calling. They have also said their ultimate scenario is for the draftee to sit for a year ala Mahomes. I think they love fields and are intrigued that Lance may have the tools to be better. But if you watched jones’ 2nd pro day, shanny and lynch did not do a lot of smiling or giggling.i do no think they were impressed. Jones is garapollo. And he has his ex qb coaching and evaluating both lance and fields but not jones…..Once again I say it is fields unless lance blows them away tomorrow.
No giggling or smiling? Really? So they had their poker faces on in this game of high stakes poker?
Dufus makes interesting comment about the QB guru being present for Fields and Lance but not Jones. My guess is that these two QBs paid the QB guru to prep them for pro-day and Jones didn’t.
Yes, Shanahan and Lynch were stone faced when Mac Jones was making his overthrows during his pro-day. And we saw Shanahan joking with Fields when talking with him.
Let’s analyze Shanahan’s body language with each QB and mirror this situation with a guy very interested in a hot chic for first time. Do you stand next to her and joke around? At Jones’s pro-day Shanahan stood far across from Jones, with Belichick and Lynch directly next to Jones. There, Shanahan looked a bit uncomfortable. Does body language show that Shanahan likes Fields more because he stood closely next to Fields and joked around?