49ers NFL Draft: 3 reasons to fall in love with Justin Fields
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers have a clear shot to land Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft, and here’s why fans will be impressed if he’s the pick.
By moving up to the No. 3 overall spot in the 2021 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers are all but guaranteed to have a choice between BYU quarterback Zach Wilson or Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields.
Provided the Jacksonville Jaguars do what everyone thinks they’ll do, select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall.
The New York Jets are likely to grab Wilson at No. 2 overall, though, meaning the Niners have a choice between Fields, North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance and Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.
Those three all have their ups and downs. But Fields has more than enough upside to warrant consideration as the preferred choice for head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. in this year’s draft.
| Passing | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | AY/A | TD | Int | Rate |
| *2018 | Georgia | SEC | FR | QB | 12 | 27 | 39 | 69.2 | 328 | 8.4 | 10.5 | 4 | 0 | 173.7 |
| *2019 | Ohio State | Big Ten | SO | QB | 14 | 238 | 354 | 67.2 | 3273 | 9.2 | 11.2 | 41 | 3 | 181.4 |
| *2020 | Ohio State | Big Ten | JR | QB | 8 | 158 | 225 | 70.2 | 2100 | 9.3 | 10.1 | 22 | 6 | 175.6 |
| Career | Overall | 423 | 618 | 68.4 | 5701 | 9.2 | 10.7 | 67 | 9 | 178.8 | ||||
| Georgia | 27 | 39 | 69.2 | 328 | 8.4 | 10.5 | 4 | 0 | 173.7 | |||||
| Ohio State | 396 | 579 | 68.4 | 5373 | 9.3 | 10.8 | 63 | 9 | 179.1 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 4/1/2021.
There’s an argument Jones, not Fields, would be the preferred pick by Shanahan, citing Jones’ ability to be a quick processor with both accuracy and poise within the pocket. Those are two of Shanahan’s preferred traits for a quarterback, yes.
But to say Fields lacks those completely would be some awfully poor scouting.
Jones’ ceiling is there, yes. Yet the Ohio State product has a far higher ceiling, not just because of his dual-threat capabilities, but also due to his notable arm strength and solid accuracy.
If Fields winds up being San Francisco’s selection on draft day, here’s why fans should be enthralled.