The San Francisco 49ers traded multiple first-round picks and a third-rounder next year to move up to the No. 3 spot in this month's draft. Soon after, quarterback Mac Jones of Alabama became the favorite to be selected by head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
Members of the national media has started to back off a bit from proclaiming that scenario to be a near-lock. While they still declare Jones the favorite, no one is ready to admit that they are 100 percent certain what the 49ers' brass will do come April 29.
"I think they have an open mind right now," ESPN's Adam Schefter recently told NBC Sports Bay Area. "I think they go into this looking at three quarterbacks who will be there. They're obviously going to watch Justin Fields go work out again. I think they have a high opinion of Trey Lance, and I think they have a high opinion of Mac Jones. So I think they like all three."
Peter King of NBC Sports is among those who still believe it will be Jones. However, he is reporting that Shanahan and Lynch have not come to a final decision.
The duo has already watched Jones at his second pro day. Most expected the two to be in attendance to watch Justin Fields of Ohio State work out on Wednesday and then Trey Lance of North Dakota State five days later. In his latest Football Morning in America column, King confirms Shanahan and Lynch will be there for both workouts.
The Jones-to-49ers narrative could skew after that. Clearly, the Niners are still finalizing their evaluations.
"I've been told the team has not made a decision who to take—I'm still guessing Jones—and the next eight days will be crucial in fact-finding," wrote King.
While Jones is considered the most pro-ready and has the highest floor, Fields and Lance are seen as much more athletic and having higher ceilings. Fans have been vocal in their strong desire for the 49ers to go with the latter two. It isn't easy to imagine that San Francisco surrendered so much draft capital for Jones and could choose to pass on exciting prospects like Fields and Lance.
Added King: "As one coach who is studying quarterbacks this postseason told me: '[Jones'] footwork is perfect, his decision-making is excellent, and even though he doesn't have the strongest arm, it's crazy how many deep balls he threw at Alabama that were right on the money.' So we'll see. Jones isn't the athlete of the others in the class, but he does have traits any coach would like."
