The San Francisco 49ers have struggled to consistently replenish their roster with young talent through the NFL Draft, forcing them to spend heavily on veteran free agents to fill the gaps created by their missteps.

But one draft misfire from the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era stands above the rest.


Mike Renner of CBS Sports recently ranked all 191 first-round draft picks since 2020, and at the very bottom of the list sits former 49ers quarterback Trey Lance at No. 191.

In 2021, the 49ers traded first-round picks in 2021, 2022, and 2023, along with a third-round pick in 2022, to the Miami Dolphins to move up to the No. 3 overall selection. They used that pick on Lance, hoping he would become the franchise quarterback for years to come.

Instead, Lance started just four games for San Francisco before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2023. The move ranks among the most expensive draft mistakes in franchise history. It could have led to significant changes within the organization had the 49ers not struck gold the following year by selecting quarterback Brock Purdy with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Then-rookie Purdy was thrust into the starting lineup after injuries sidelined both Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. He seized the opportunity and has remained the 49ers' starting quarterback ever since.

Lance's lack of production alone likely would have landed him near the bottom of Renner's rankings. However, the massive haul of draft capital San Francisco surrendered to acquire him makes the selection even more costly. Those premium picks could have been used to build the roster up around Purdy over the years.


Of course, given the 49ers' inconsistent track record with premium draft selections in recent years, there's no guarantee those picks would have turned into impact players. Still, it's difficult not to wonder what might have been.

Lance remains in the NFL as a backup with the Los Angeles Chargers behind star quarterback Justin Herbert. In 16 career games, including six starts, he has completed 54 percent of his passes for 1,289 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions while adding one rushing touchdown.

As for the rest of the 49ers' first-round picks since 2020, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk ranked No. 43, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall came in at No. 95, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw landed at No. 133, and defensive end Mykel Williams checked in at No. 135.

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