SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 06: A view of a San Francisco 49ers helmet during warms up prior to their NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on October 6, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Ever since the blockbuster draft-order trade between San Francisco and Miami went down in late March, the glaring question has been this: Who will the 49ers select with their newly-acquired No. 3 overall pick?
With Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and BYU’s Zach Wilson essentially locks to be selected No. 1 and No. 2, the 49ers are left with a talented pool of remaining options from this year’s stacked quarterback class. Making a trade move like this clearly indicates the team is looking for their next franchise guy at the QB position.
Despite top-tier options like Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance likely still on the board at No. 3, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter believes San Francisco will go a different route.
“It’ll be Mac Jones,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during an appearance on DiPietro, Canty and Rothenberg Tuesday. “… I believe that in the end they will pick Mac Jones at three, that’ll be the pick, and they will keep Jimmy Garoppolo this year.”
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were both present for Jones’ Alabama pro day in Tuscaloosa last week — indicating some significant interest in what the reigning national champion has to offer.
While Shanahan and Lynch both had front-row seats to watch the prospective first rounder throw, their participation in the pro day didn’t go any further than that. According to Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban, neither of the 49ers higher-ups asked him any questions about his former QB.
“[Shanahan] didn’t ask me a thing. I stood right next to him,” Saban said Tuesday on The Dan Patrick Show. “I said hi to him. John Lynch too. They didn’t ask me a thing. Maybe they thought they weren’t allowed to.”
“[Kyle Shanahan] didn’t ask me a thing. I stood right next to him. I said hi to him. John Lynch too. They didn’t ask me a thing. Maybe they thought they weren’t allowed to." – Nick Saban discusses Mac Jones' pro day on @dpshow
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) April 6, 2021
The San Francisco front office has made it very clear during this offseason that current starter Jimmy Garoppolo will remain with the team heading into 2021. Whoever the 49ers draft at No. 3, it appears they’ll be starting the season in a backup position behind the former Super Bowl starter.
Who do you think the team should select with their No. 3 pick?
