The San Francisco 49ers’ plans as quarterbacks for the 2021 season and beyond are their biggest question marks in the off-season. In Lance Zierlein’s first mock draft for NFL.com, the 49ers select North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance with the number 12 overall pick. That scenario would lead to a fascinating few months for San Francisco.
If the 49ers use their top pick on a quarterback, that means a trade for Deshaun Watson is very likely off the table. So let’s assume that’s the case, and Jimmy Garoppolo is still on the San Francisco roster.
Selecting Lance at their first pick gives the 49ers a little bit of the best of both worlds in regards to the short and long run of the San Francisco quarterback position.
Starting a rookie in 2021 would ostensibly get the 49ers out of the Super Bowl fray right away. A freshman caller has never started or won a Super Bowl. Championship windows don’t open that often, so effectively throwing out the 2021 season to start the No. 12 overall pick probably isn’t in the cards.
This is especially true for a prospect like Lance, who started just 19 games at NDSU and only tried 318 passes. He needs some herbs, but the talent is undeniable.
Lance is a good size at 6-3, 221 lbs. He completed 208 of his 318 throws (65 percent) for 2,947 yards, 30 touchdowns and only one interception. He also ran for 1,325 yards and 18 touchdowns on 192 carriers. He’s a true double threat quarterback who can beat teams trying to keep him in the bag. That ability to fall back and make throws is what 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan covets most. Lance’s legs would just be an extra wrinkle for an already hard foul to stop.
A year to get to know the 49ers’ onslaught would probably be best for Lance’s development, bringing us back to Garoppolo and the 49ers competing for a Super Bowl in 2021. Having a rookie on the roster like the QB2 or QB3 wouldn’t. it is an enormous burden on the salary ceiling. The 49ers were able to keep Garoppolo, who already helped them quarterback to a Super Bowl, and try to compete next season while taking care of the quarterback of the future.
It’s a best-case scenario that allows the 49ers to cross the line between playing for a championship and finding a franchise quarterback.
San Francisco has plenty of gaps in their roster to tackle with the No. 12 overall pick, and a prospect like Lance might not fall as far as that pick. If he does, the 49ers may have a hard time passing on a talent of his level with so much uncertainty for them at the quarterback after this year.