This is the most exciting time for any football fan, especially when you’re set up to pick a QB. Who should the 49ers pick at the No. 3 overall pick?
The San Francisco 49ers absolutely shocked the NFL world last week when they made the blockbuster move of the offseason in which they traded their 2021, 2022 and 2023 first-round picks, along with a 2022 third-round pick to move up to the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
I’ll be the first to admit, I never thought in a million years head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch had the guts to make this kind of deal. Not only is it a once-in-a-decade type deal, but it’s also a deal that can get you fired if it goes sideways.
There’s obviously a ton of speculation on whom the Niners are going to select here, and Shanahan’s cryptic antics (like apparently having a preference for Alabama quarterback Mac Jones) aren’t helping the flurry of rumors that come with a high-profile pick like this. The media has been speculating nonstop about whom they think the 49ers are locked in on selecting.
But the reality is no one has a clue except Shanahan and Lynch.
Our goal in this article will be to outline whom we think San Francisco should pick with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, and more importantly whom they shouldn’t pick. For the sake of argument, we will exclude Clemson superstar Trevor Lawrence from this discussion, as it is all but guaranteed the Jacksonville Jaguars will be using their first overall pick to select him.
Instead, we will take a look at players we think the Niners actually have a shot at getting.
Let the games begin…
4
Mac Jones Quarterback
For whatever reason, the talking heads are pointing to the Niners picking Mac Jones with the third overall pick.
From the looks of it, the 49ers fanbase would literally explode with anger if this were to happen.
This isn’t to say Jones isn’t a great player in his own right, he just wouldn’t be worth the third overall pick nor the price it took to move up to that spot. Jones’ biggest knocks are the fact his downfield throwing power is weak when compared to the other signal-callers in this draft, and that he played with a virtual all-star team in 2020. It’s easy to look like a superhero when everyone around you is NFL-level talent.
Now, Jones still impressed in the 2020 season with a stellar stat line that was coupled with an undefeated season that led to a CFB National Championship trophy.
If San Francisco was to grab Jones, I have no doubt he would succeed. In fact, I think he would become an instant top-15 quarterback in the NFL, but I think every quarterback on this list has a higher ceiling than him. And taking Jones here would be an awful value pick.
Who knows what Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch really think of Jones, but all I know is he is by far the least appealing quarterback out of the four.
Just don’t be surprised if this happens.
3
Trey Lance Quarterback
The fact that I have North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance at No. 3 on this power ranking should tell you just how strong this class is.
Lance was an absolute phenom in his one year as a starter in 2019 for the Bison in which he threw a spectacular 28 touchdowns and no picks.
Yes, you read that right, no interceptions whatsoever.
I know what you’re gonna say: “He played in a sub-par NCAA division and his opponents stunk.” That may be true, but the fact remains Lance was 18 years of age during the 2019 season and still had the ability to absolutely dominate his opponents for the entirety of it.
Kyle Shanahan would absolutely love to exploit other teams with the help of Lance, who is touted to have the strongest arm in this year’s draft. Oh, did I mention Lance is an elite rusher as well? Lance rushed for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2019, which would make him utterly dangerous in the 49ers’ system.
Do I think he has some flaws? Of course. His accuracy is slightly questionable at times when targeting receivers downfield, and was often throwing to wide-open players during his lone season as a starter. The reality is, though, Lance would sit behind current signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo for the 2021 and learn the offense. San Francisco is in no rush to move on from Jimmy G just yet, who is still absolutely a capable starter in this league. So letting Lance take notes for a year wouldn’t be the worst of things, rather than throw him into the fire from the get go.
Lance’s play style reminds me a lot of the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray but with a stronger arm. Lance’s ability to move around the field while also attacking opponents through the air is what fuels opposing coaches’ nightmares come game time. He is a true video game-style quarterback.
I think Lance actually has superstar potential, but the only reason I have him a little lower on this list is due to the fact that he has only a single year as a full-time starter in a second division team.
If Lance is the player everyone thinks he is, the 49ers would look stupid for passing on him at the No. 3 spot in this year’s draft. I think most fans would be ecstatic with Lance being the pick here, and so would I.
2
Zach Wilson Quarterback
This player’s spot on my list might surprise some people, but I think it’s just right.
BYU quarterback Zach Wilson shocked the football world this year when he propelled himself up draft boards with an out-of-this-world 2020 campaign, but I refuse to put him ahead of the guy I have at No. 1, and here’s why.
Wilson showed critics that even with a less-than-stellar supporting cast, success is still possible, but can he do it on a consistent basis?
That’s the million-dollar question most critics are asking.
2020 wasn’t Wilson’s first year as a college starter, but his third. He was blatantly mediocre in both 2018 and 2019 for BYU, throwing a combined 3,960 yards, 23 touchdowns and 12 picks in 18 games. While I do think he’s absolutely a better option than both Trey Lance and Mac Jones, I refuse to admit Wilson is a can’t-miss prospect, and at the third overall pick, you better be as legit as it gets, not a potential question mark.
Now it may seem like I’m a little bit of a hater, so let me try and highlight some of the positives. Wilson was absolutely spectacular this year. He was so good that he went from being a literal nobody to the probable second overall pick. The last guy who pulled off that type of dramatic draft climb was former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow in 2019. Ever heard of him?
Wilson led BYU to a stellar 11-1 season in which he threw for 3,692 yards to go along with 33 touchdowns and three interceptions. Oh, by the way, he also managed to rush for an outstanding 10 touchdowns. Wilson reminds me a lot of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. While he may not be as athletic, I think Wilson possesses the same dynamic style of play coaches are foaming at the mouth at in today’s NFL.
If the Niners got their hands on Wilson, they would absolutely have to sit him for the 2021 season and let him become accustomed to playing against higher-tier opponents, but I do think he would tremendously succeed.
If Wilson is what everyone is saying he is, the 49ers would be an unstoppable force for years to come.
1
Justin Fields Quarterback
Talk about star-power. Ohio State’s Justin Fields is my hands-down first choice for San Francisco at No. 3, and I think a lot of Niners fans feel the same way.
Fields is one of the best quarterback prospects of the last five years, and I don’t think it’s close. He has done nothing but turn heads since he was a high school star in Georgia, and I don’t see that changing once he enters the NFL.
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I mean, how can you not want Fields dawning the red and gold? In his two years as a starter at Ohio State, he’s been otherworldly with a combined stat line of 5,373 yards, 63 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 22 total games. As I typed out those stats, I’m still in awe of them, and I’ve been studying Fields closely for about two years now. I almost forgot, he also rushed for 15 touchdowns in those two years and was clocked running a 4.40 40-yard dash at his pro-day.
Someone let me know in the comments section if that’s fast for a quarterback.
The Ohio State star is the literal definition of what it means to be a modern-day signal-caller in today’s NFL. He has the perfect balance of size, athleticism, arm strength and accuracy. There’s literally nothing he can’t do, and I think with Fields in the 49ers system, the team would be set up to win multiple Super Bowls as long as Kyle Shanahan is calling the shots.
I also think the New York Jets are out of their minds for potentially skipping on Fields, but let’s hope they don’t smarten up between now and draft time.
The crazy part is Fields will almost certainly be available at the third overall pick, and the 49ers would be absolutely out of their minds to pass on him for any of the guys I’ve listed below him. The truth is I do think this is the pick the Niners front office will make, or so I hope.
Shanahan, if you’re reading this, don’t let us down. Draft the guy who will propel this team into the stratosphere and pick Justin Fields.