North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz spoke with NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano today to discuss his former quarterback, Trey Lance, who was drafted No. 3 overall last week by the San Francisco 49ers. Siciliano asked Entz to break down what the Niners are getting from their young quarterback.
"What they're getting is a competitor," Entz shared. "A very composed, intelligent, high-football-I.Q. player. He can make a lot of throws. He can make all the throws. Will he need to continue to refine his process and refine his fundamentals of the game? Of course he will. That's why they're going to get him out there as soon as they can to start working with him.
"But the thing that I continue to stress to everyone that I had conversations during this draft process was everything above the shoulders indicated that this is an NFL-caliber-type quarterback. And Trey is, like I said, he's a great leader, and very intelligent. Understands the game, remembers the pictures that he's seen, and I think that will only help him as he moves through his career in the NFL."
Lance may be the quarterback of the future, but the quarterback of the present is Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers have made it clear that Garoppolo remains in their plans for the upcoming season and envision the veteran serving as a mentor while leading the championship-caliber roster in 2021.
Some might argue that a top-3 pick should be starting right away. Others will argue that Lance could benefit from sitting and learning for a year, especially given head coach Kyle Shanahan's complex offense.
What does Entz believe? Does he feel Lance could force his way into the starting lineup during the upcoming season?
"I'm going to sit on the fence when I answer this question," Entz responded. "I think any time a quarterback, as they move up, just like Trey when he came to NDSU, had an opportunity to sit behind Easton Stick and learn, and absorb, and see how a professional handles himself, that can only help him if he has that same opportunity at the 49ers.
"But on the other hand, it would not surprise me to see Trey push and challenge for playing time with the 49ers as well because of how ultra-competitive he is, because of the things that can't be measured — his savvy, his composure, his willingness to lead. So it will be interesting."