49ers roster: 5 players under most pressure to perform at OTAs

No. 1: 49ers QB Trey Lance

Of course, there’s going to be a ton of pressure on the Niners’ top pick from this year’s NFL Draft, quarterback Trey Lance.

Being a top-five pick alone merits pressure. And while Lance isn’t necessarily pegged to be a starter right out of the gate — all signs point to San Francisco letting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo keep that job for now — the fact Lance has played just one game since his lone season as a full-time starter, 2019, means there will be concerns about how raw he is and how much time he’ll need to get fully acclimated.

More from SF 49ers Roster

• 49ers roster: 5 players who could get cut after 2023 NFL Draft
• 49ers roster: Insanely early 53-man roster projection for 2023
• Kyle Shanahan is wrongly handling his QB situation with Trey Lance
• Zane Gonzalez trade doesn’t mean 49ers won’t draft a kicker
• 49ers roster: Top remaining free-agent tackles on the market

There isn’t going to be much of a real pass rush during OTAs, and Lance will merely experience “mock” pressure.

That said, his receivers’ routes are going to be more complex, and the quarterback will inevitably see an uptick in the level of play from coverage defenders trying to prevent him from completing his passes.

If Lance was a late first-round pick or even someone selected on day two, there wouldn’t be anywhere near the pressure.

But considering Lance is tabbed as a future franchise quarterback for the 49ers, all eyes will focus closely on him as he takes his first full-team workouts this spring.