Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Sunday night that the San Francisco 49ers had narrowed their choice for the No. 3 overall pick to Mac Jones of Alabama versus Trey Lance of North Dakota State. That means Justin Fields of Ohio State is likely out of the running.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch will make fans sweat a little more over the next three days, though. The team has no plans to tip its hand before it is on the clock on Thursday night.
From NFL Now: The #49ers are down to two. What now for SF as they pick between Mac Jones and Trey Lance. pic.twitter.com/KJMS3gPR0F
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2021
"So, for the 49ers, what they're really done over the last couple of weeks and last couple of months is gather as much information as humanly possible on Mac Jones and on Trey Lance through every resource they can, from college coaches to private coaches to family members, everything," Rapoport said on NFL Network this morning.
"I don't know that they're still grinding tape or whatever. I think that part is probably done. But this is about getting all of the other information they can. I would also add, the 49ers are not going to make this public until No. 3, which means they are not going to tell either party that they are the pick. So, this mystery will probably last for at least another [three] days or so."
Rapoport added that the 49ers hope there is a consensus in the building on the pick by Thursday night, when the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft begins. There has been a report that Shanahan favors Jones while the 49ers' personnel department is pushing for Lance.
Jones and Lance are now the betting favorites to become the No. 3 overall pick, with the former in the lead. Fields has become more of a long shot to head to the 49ers.