San Fransisco 49ers general manager John Lynch Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers executed a massive blockbuster, moving up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, meaning there are some clear winners and losers.
Good for the San Francisco 49ers.
In 2017, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan passed on the opportunity to select two prospects in that year’s NFL Draft who’d go on to become arguably the most impressive young quarterbacks in the league, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
Following Friday’s blockbuster move, which saw the Niners trade away their No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 draft along with three other picks to the Miami Dolphins to get up to No. 3 overall, Lynch and Shanahan get a bit of a do-over in one of the more talented, yet top-heavy quarterbacking classes in recent memory.
San Francisco’s trade all but ensures it’ll have a shot to land one of the big three names after the Jacksonville Jaguars’ all-but-guaranteed selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall.
Despite Lawrence being off the board, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, BYU’s Zach Wilson and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance are all very much in play depending on what the second-drafting New York Jets do with their pick.
The move is a clear win for the 49ers, who are now on track to land one of the promising signal-callers in this year’s draft. And it’s a great chance for both Shanahan and Lynch to do right after whiffing on either Mahomes or Watson four years ago.
In the wake of the deal, however, there are some losers. Niner Noise goes through both the winners and losers from this massive shake-up atop the draft order.