Much of the NFL Draft’s intrigue has centered on who the San Francisco 49ers will select with the No. 3 pick. It’s almost certain to be a quarterback, but there are three players widely expected to be in play.
NFL Network’s Mike Silver said that based on insider conversations, he believes the 49ers will still ultimately pick Alabama quarterback Mac Jones at No. 3 overall. Silver stressed that it was not a report, but that he does believe coach Kyle Shanahan’s original aim was to select Jones, and he has not been swayed by what he’s seen from Trey Lance or Justin Fields to change his mind.
3) It is my belief that the player the Niners were targeting when they made the trade–under the assumption that Lawrence & Wilson would go 1-2 to the Jags and Jets–was Alabama QB Mac Jones. (Obviously, you only make this move if you also are very high on Lawrence and Wilson)…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 23, 2021
5) I'd expect, in all likelihood, that Shanahan will stick with his original inclination and won't end up deciding he likes Fields or Lance more than Jones… and that he'll never get a shot at Lawrence or Wilson, who will be off the board…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 23, 2021
6) Why Jones? Among other things, the Niners believe he has uncanny pocket skills, especially out of the shotgun formation, and next-level footwork. He can slide in the pocket to either side and react quickly to onrushing defenders, even unblocked ones…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 23, 2021
This lines up with a pretty firm guarantee from a different reporter about at least part of the 49ers’ draft plans.
Keep in mind that there are still people who see the Niners going in a different direction, and the team has been keeping its cards close to the vest. Fundamentally, though, the consensus has always favored Jones, and it sounds like those in the know don’t think anything has happened to change that.
