Are Justin Fields and Trey Lance the 49ers' Top Prospects?
Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch will be attending the Pro Day's of Justin Fields and Trey Lance.
Their attendance is nothing to be shocked about, rather it is standard protocol. Shanahan himself made it clear in his last presser that he would be at Fields' second Pro Day.
However, what is intriguing about the 49ers' attendance for the Pro Day's of Fields and Lance is that they are going to incorporate some of their own plays for these quarterbacks to run, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. So this isn't your typical Pro Day. In fact, it is a "private" workout since the teams are not allowed to conduct those this year due to COVID-19 protocols.
The 49ers didn't do this with Mac Jones, who is presumably their preference, at his Pro Day, so this is definitely an eyebrow raiser. Since they are implementing their own plays, does that indicate that Fields and Lance are the 49ers' top prospects?
It certainly feels that way.
I have always believed that when Shanahan referred to "three prospects" they liked when they traded up to No. 3 that Fields and Lance were two of them. Zach Wilson being the other one. Since Wilson seems like a lock for the Jets at No. 2, there really isn't a point for the 49ers to implement Shanahan's plays at his Pro Day had they went.
It makes all the sense in the world to have Fields and Lance operate Shanahan's offense. They're both very likely going to be there for the 49ers at No. 3. And it also throws more dirt on the "Jones at NO. 3" narrative, because the 49ers didn't trade all the way up to get a slightly improved Jimmy Garoppolo.
"You want an elite player and of course if you can get a guy who is elite with his arm and can play in that pocket and do everything and still run around and make off-schedule plays," said Shanahan at his Mar. 29 presser. "I mean, that's what you've seen with [Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick] Mahomes. Everybody wants something like that, but there is a risk to everything and you've got to see that in the draft, you've got to see it in college."
This is Shanahan's best chance to finally get that quarterback. Fields and Lance give him the best hope, especially Fields. These two players are assuredly atop the 49ers' board at No. 3.
The only question is which one will they actually take?
