2021 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Miami Dolphins trade back again
By Dakota Cox
2021 NFL Mock Draft 3.0
3. San Francisco 49ers: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Every 2021 NFL mock draft will have the 49ers taking a quarterback after trading into the top 3. You don’t jump 9 spots in the first round to add an offensive lineman. San Francisco is drafting a quarterback. It just comes down to who they take.
While this could be Alabama football’s Mac Jones, I think Trey Lance will be the guy. He has the highest ceiling of the three remaining quarterbacks worth drafting in the first round, but he needs time to develop. The level of competition is a concern, and he only played in one game this year due to COVID-19.
With Jimmy G under contract, they could develop Lance without tanking. He could get comfortable with the offense before finally choosing to make the switch.
I’m not sure if the 49ers know who they want to draft as of right now. They simply know that their only hope of winning a Super Bowl is with a new quarterback. They might prefer Fields’ traits, but Trey Lance has a better arm, and that’s what the 49ers lack as of right now. Until there is more information, this fit makes sense.
We’ll see if the 49ers surprise us and take the Alabama football signal-caller. However, I see them taking Lance or Fields. For this exercise, I’m going with Lance.