49ers troll media on ‘leak’ of NFL Draft pick of Trey Lance

The 49ers had the last laugh with regards to ‘leaks’ about their intended No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick, Trey Lance, via Twitter on Friday.

Ever since the San Francisco 49ers traded up from No. 12 overall to No. 3 in the 2021 NFL Draft, both local and national media members essentially locked in the Niners’ decision with the newly acquired pick, all but guaranteeing it would be Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.

Only a handful came close to suggesting it would be the eventual selection, North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Mel Kiper Jr. were heavily pushing the narrative Jones would be the pick. So did The Draft Scout’s Matt Miller, and there was no shortage of other media members loudly declaring Jones would be the fit for head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Despite some serious backpedalling from numerous media members in the days before the draft, including Schefter, the Niners proved all those initial assessments wrong.

And they had some fun poking at all the educated guesswork many of those pundits made with regards to Jones, too.

49ers take subtle jab about NFL Draft ‘leaks’ on No. 3 overall pick

Plenty of reports came out immediately after San Francisco selected Lance that only Shanahan and general manager John Lynch knew which player the 49ers would take. CEO Jed York was told last Wednesday, and only the smallest of small circles was made aware of the eventual selection before it went public in Round 1 with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s televised announcement.

So much for there being widespread sources and leaks from within the front office — an aspect Niners Twitter trolled ever so subtly on Friday:

While not blatantly coming out and saying the bulk of the national media was wrong, it is a quiet jab at those who say San Francisco was locked in on Jones, not Lance, despite the simple rationale the aggressive swing-for-the-fences trade-up should be equally matched by a swing-for-the-fences prospect selection like Lance. Not Jones.

Under Lynch and Shanahan, the 49ers have kept a tight lid on their intentions ever since 2017. Case in point, the 2020 trade of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts, while tough, wasn’t leaked to the media. Neither were the subsequent draft additions that year of defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Unlike the previously leaky front office under former general manager Trent Baalke, the current regime seemingly takes pride in keeping their secrets proverbially close to the vest.

And now, the Niners can poke a little fun at those who said they “knew” inside information about San Francisco wanting Jones.