Trey Lance continuing to impress 49ers teammates, coaches in first training camp

Rookie Trey Lance has certainly caught the eyes of many in his first NFL training camp, including those of teammates and coaches, who raved about him in conversations with Mike Silver of NFL Media earlier this week.

Just yesterday, Lance threw a touchdown bomb to receiver Trent Sherfield, showcasing his arm strength and vision.

While it is just the beginning of his NFL experience, coaches and teammates alike have had many positive reviews about their talented rookie.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan believes that Lance is only scratching the surface of his potential with much to come as he gains experience.

"[Lance has yet to un-tap some of that] hidden horsepower I feel like he has," said Shanahan, per Silver. "He hasn't played a ton of football and I think he's only gonna get better as he gets older, and the more reps he gets."


Shanahan wasn't the only major name impressed by Lance, as linebacker Fred Warner praised the rookie's maturity and composure, which complement his wide skill set.

"He looks great, man. I think he's very well composed, especially for his age. He's a young rookie. He's got all the skills that you want, all the talent. You see him out there running the rock a little bit," Warner told Silver. "He's also letting the rock fly. I like what I'm seeing so far."

Along with Warner, another key defensive player, Jason Verrett, was pleased with Lance's throwing ability in his limited action.

"I think he's coming out here making the throws that he's supposed to make. He's dialed in. He's focused. I'm excited to see our preseason with all the reps that he's gonna get then, just to see what he's gonna do," said Verrett to Silver. "I'm excited for him. I've seen a lot of great throws that he's making so far throughout camp and hopefully, he can carry that on."

Trent Williams was another player who wanted in on the praising-Trey action as the blindside protector, a known leader in his career, pointed out Lance's ability as a natural leader.

"He's a natural leader, a guy that can relate to everybody in the locker room. You can tell he's always… learning, he's trying to perfect his craft. You see him on the field, he's growing. You see why he's the No. 3 pick overall," said Williams, per Silver. "You see why everybody was kind of really, really high on him, you see why his ceiling is so high. Obviously, you've gotta put it together."

During the process, Lance's resumé was questioned due to his lack of career games and playing at a Division-II level, but in the early stages of his NFL career, it seems as if he is acclimating to the NFL level, though Lance hasn't played an NFL snap yet.

In addition to his leadership qualities, Williams noted that Lance's dual-threat ability as a quarterback could significantly help the team.

"Yeah, it can make it hard (on a defense)," Williams said via Silver. "Cause obviously when your quarterback can take off, you can play 11 on 11. One guy that's not in his gap and it can be a house call, or it can be a 40-yard dash."

As training camp progresses, Lance will certainly get more opportunities to showcase his talents, while also going through the growing pains of a rookie quarterback.

• Rohan Chakravarthi
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  Rohan Chakravarthi
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