49ers Take Quarterback Trey Lance With Third Overall Pick In NFL Draft
BOSTON (CBS) -- The mystery of the San Francisco 49ers' pick atop the 2021 NFL Draft board has been answered.
The Niners wanted Trey Lance.
San Francisco drafted the former North Dakota State QB with the third overall pick on Thursday night.
The 6-foot-4, 224-pound Lance played for the FCS North Dakota State Bison in college, though they did not play last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2019 season, Lance completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,786 yards with 28 touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also rushed for 1,100 yards and 14 more touchdowns while leading the Bison to a 16-0 record and an FCS national championship.
Lance and the Bison played one exhibition game in 2020, in which he threw for 149 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, while rushing for 143 yards and two touchdowns against Central Arkansas.
Trey Lance Selected 3rd Overall by @49ers
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) April 30, 2021
6th non-FBS QB picked in 1st Rd since FBS & FCS split prior to 1978
PHI C. Wentz ('16) - N. Dakota St
BAL J. Flacco ('08) - Delaware
HST S. McNair ('95) - Alcorn St
NYJ K. O'Brien ('83) - Cal-Davis
NYG P. Simms ('79) - Morehead St
The Niners traded three first-round picks (this year's pick, plus the first-rounders in 2022 and 2023) as well as a third-round pick this year to move from the 12th spot to the third spot to make this pick.