Who will be the 49ers selection with the No.3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft?
That has been the million-dollar question. Let’s be honest, everyone has been speculating about it for weeks. It has been a total mystery. No one except for a few people (HC Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch) inside the Niners building know with any certainty who that pick will be.
We have heard how Alabama QB Mac Jones is the best fit for that offense. Other people mention that Ohio State QB Justin Fields is incredibly physically gifted and would give San Francisco a playmaker at the QB position. Those are valid points. However, I will make my case for North Dakota State QB Trey Lance.
His story has been well-documented. Some power five schools wanted him to play DB in college, yet Lance wanted to play QB. He chose the Bison who gave him that opportunity and had a season for the ages in 2019.
As a redshirt freshman, he completed nearly 67% of his passes for 2,786 passing yards, 28 TD’s and zero interceptions. He attempted 287 passes without throwing a single interception. Lance takes care of the football. It doesn’t matter what level of competition you face; decision-making is key in the game of football. NFL QB’s who have been successful just don’t turn the ball over. If you turn on the film, Lance doesn’t put the ball in harm’s way either. Decision-making is a major strength of his game.
He also has the size (6’3 7/8 and 224 pounds), athleticism and dual threat ability that NFL teams covet. Let’s talk about the success that he has had as a runner in 2019. He rushed for 1,100 yards and scored 14 TD’s on the ground. In today’s NFL, you need to extend plays. When the play breaks down, Lance will be able to do a lot of damage as a runner.
Lance displays a very strong arm. He can drive the ball 60-70 yards downfield without the WR breaking his stride. His deep ball accuracy is a big strength for him. He throws a very catchable ball on those deep balls.
He played in a pro-style offense at North Dakota State. He has a lot of experience taking snaps from under center (you can’t say that for other top QB’s in this draft). He excels on those playaction passes. Kyle Shanahan loves to use those playaction passes in his offense. I also love how Lance works through those progressions. He has a good understanding where his secondary receiver is and where his check down is on almost every play.
I also see a player who is always in control of the offense. He is calm and poised inside the pocket. Nothing seems too big for him. He doesn’t get rattled.
Lance is a film junkie. He is always trying to get better. He is smart and is able to process information quickly. He is also extremely coachable. You want a young QB to be like a sponge. The most important thing about him is he is a winner.
There are some things on film that make you pause for a second.
I realize that Trey Lance struggled in his only game against Central Arkansas in 2020. He was pressing and was trying to make the big play on every dropback pass. His ball placement can be shaky at times. He makes his receivers work for it especially on those intermediate passes.
He has only started 17 games at the FCS level during his career, which is less than I would like. Upside is a scary word at times, but his potential is through the roof. You look at his physical tools, and you realize that with NFL coaching he will get much better. He will turn 21 years old on May 9th (he is the youngest QB out of the top five signal callers in this draft). You draft a player based on what you think he would become in three years, and not based on the player that he is right now.
I am all in on North Dakota State QB Trey Lance. He is a tremendous talent. I hope the 49ers will draft him with the No.3 selection in this draft.
