Trey Day - 49ers Rock NFL Draft with pick of young QB

The 2021 NFL Draft is officially in the books. With pick numbers 1 and 2 being a foregone conclusion by the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets, respectively, all the buzz heading into the draft surrounded who would go No. 3 overall to the San Francisco 49ers. With their lips sealed tightly, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch went into the 49ers war room on draft day having not even shared their decision with the rest of their coaching staff, as they were left having to guess like the rest of us. Sworn in secrecy, the clandestine meetings between Shanahan and Lynch were like something out of a scene from Disney's National Treasure as they kept the name of their future franchise quarterback and the player who will without question determine their legacy in San Francisco, under wraps and in a vault as if it were the recipe to Coca-Cola or KFC's famous fried chicken. Receiving a mixed reaction by the media and the league for trading the 12th overall pick as well as first round picks in each of the next two years to Miami for the third overall pick, everyone had their ears to the ground and their eyes on the TV come time for San Francisco's mysterious pick after Trevor Lawrence and Zack Wilson heard their names called first. With rumors of the pick being any one of Alabama's Mac Jones, Ohio State's Justin Fields or North Dakota State's Trey Lance, it was Lance who's name was called when it was all said and done. 

Looked at as being a project at the QB position, Shanahan and company plan to take the same approach with Lance as the Kansas City Chiefs did with Patrick Mahomes when they traded up to take him with the 10th overall pick in 2017 before handing him a clipboard to watch and learn from the sidelines for a season behind Alex Smith. Speaking of Alex Smith, Lance is the first 49ers quarterback to be selected in the first round since Smith was chosen first overall in 2005. As risky as the pick might've been considering all that San Francisco sent to Miami in return, the decision to draft someone as raw as Lance might be worth the gamble given he possesses arguably the highest ceiling in this entire draft class and his upside could rival that of Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence. Despite the one-game season at NDSU this past college football season, a season that was cut short due to the pandemic, Lance has not lost a game since High School, as he finished his college career by going 17-0 as a starter and threw for 30 touchdowns to only 1 interception, while rushing for another 18 scores. But as unblemished as his career was with the Bison, some pundits have their doubts and have pointed to the limited reps and small amount of games played as we've only seen a small sample size for a guy the 49ers deemed worthy of the third overall pick. 

Described as a perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan's offensive system, Lance has the athleticism and run ability to compliment his cannon of an arm, which will keep teams on their toes when running play-action. The Niners are hoping incumbent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has a resurgence season in 2021, much like Aaron Rodgers did with Green Bay last season when he saw his team draft a QB in the first round, only for him to go berserk and play his way to an MVP award. Under contract for the next two seasons, the 49ers can ill-afford banking on Jimmy G's health beyond this year as he has started only 30 games in four seasons since being traded to SF. 

Day 2 of the Draft saw the 49ers make a number of trades up and down the draft board, including one with the Las Vegas Raiders to move back from pick No. 43 to the No. 48 spot, which they used to take Notre Dame guard Aaron Banks in the second round. In the same trade, San Francisco would send a 7th-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for a fourth-round pick -- 121st overall. The Niners would then flip the fourth-round pick acquired from the Raiders as well as their own 4th-rounder to the Los Angeles Rams for the 88th pick which San Francisco would use on Ohio State running back Trey Sermon. With their second and final 3rd-round selection (pick 102), the 49ers would finally add to their defense with Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas. San Francisco would kickoff Day 3 by adding more depth to the offensive-line as they made Western Michigan offensive-tackle Jaylon Moore their pick at 155, before adding another corner in Oregon's Deommodore Lenoir with the 172nd pick. They would round out their trio of 5th-round picks by nabbing USC safety Talanoa Hufanga (pick 180). After trading their seventh-round pick, the 49ers would make Lousiana running back Elijah Mitchell their final pick of the draft at pick No. 194 of the 6th-round. 

With no running backs under contract following the upcoming 2021-22 NFL season, Niners brass decided to plan for the future by drafting a pair of running backs by taking one on days 2 and 3 in Sermon and Mitchell. After exploding for a Big Ten record with 331 yards on 29 carries for the Buckeyes in their Big Ten Championship win over Northwestern, it'll be exciting to see what Sermon can do in coach Shanahan's system. Having already established one of the better tandems along the offensive-line anchored by Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams, San Francisco continued to beef up their o-line with a pair of big bodies in Banks and Moore. Finally, the defensive secondary was bolstered with some much needed depth as Thomas, Lenoir and Hufanga should all get a crack at earning some playing time whether on defense or on special-teams. Thought to be in on a wide-receiver in the draft, the 49ers surprisingly did not draft a receiver, but did manage to sign the undrafted Austin Watkins -- receiver out of UAB. Other undrafted players to sign with the 49ers included tight-end Josh Pederson out of Louisiana Monroe and linebackers Justin Hilliard of Ohio State and Elijah Sullivan of Kansas. 

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49ers Select Kinlaw, Aiyuk in 1st Round of 2020 NFL Draft

Last night's 2020 NFL Draft was unlike any we've ever seen before. With everyone from commissioner Roger Goodell to the team's coaches, general managers and even the draft prospects themselves isolated at home and tapping in thru live television feeds due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL still managed to pull off a successful opening night to the draft during this unprecedented time. And while there were a few slight bumps in the road such as a lack of details when teams would trade in and out of draft picks to move up and down on the draft board, it was nice to finally have some sort of sports entertainment to feed our hunger, even if only for a few days.

One of only four teams to possess more than one pick in the first round entering the draft, the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers came into Day 1 of the draft with two picks under their belt -- pick No. 13 via the Indianapolis Colts and their original pick at No. 31. Leading up to the big day, general manager John Lynch was very open about both picks being available to teams that were interested in trading up. But it wasn't until San Francisco was on the clock at pick 13 that Lynch pulled the trigger to give us our first trade of the night. Moving up one spot to nab Iowa offensive-tackle Tristan Wirfs were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who decided to protect their new investment in quarterback Tom Brady. In the move, the 49ers also dealt a 7th round pick (No. 245) to Tampa, while acquiring the 14th overall pick as well as a 4th rounder (No. 117). After trading one spot out of the 13th pick which was received from Indy in the DeForest Buckner trade, the 49ers used their first pick of the night to find Buckner's cheaper and younger replacement in South Carolina defensive-tackle Javon Kinlaw. A senior and 3-year starter with the Gamecocks, Kinlaw has been repeatedly praised in the days leading up to the draft for the explosive first step he's able to gain on the opposition at the line and his impressive abilities in spite of his large 6-foot, 5-inch, 324 lb. frame. With a nonstop motor that continues until the sound of the whistle, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will have yet another young prospect to work with and develop in bolstering an already stout defensive front.

Though it wasn't the sexy wide receiver pick many fans thought they'd see and most mock drafts had projected the 49ers selecting, especially with both Jerry Jeudy and Ceedee Lamb still available, it was a pick that made plenty of sense. After jettisoning Buckner who was on the last year of his contract and was going to demand a hefty payday that would've put San Francisco in a bind with teammates Arik Armstead entering free agency and tight-end George Kittle next in line for a contract-extension, the front-office did what they had to in order to withhold as many assets as they could at the cheapest cost possible. Rated by many NFL scouts and sources as being a top 10 prospect, Lynch and Shanahan found their man in Kinlaw with the 14th overall pick. One guy who wasn't too please the 49ers took Kinlaw at 14, was a guy who knows a thing or two about disrupting the quarterback on defense in Pro Bowler Von Miller. The Broncos outside linebacker had recorded his own live feed from home while reacting to picks, and was jumping around and yelling in frustration as he had hoped Kinlaw, a first-team AP All-American in 2019, fell to Denver at pick 15, "They're greedy! That was my pick! That's who I wanted," he went on to say.

However, the team's busy night of trading would not end there. While many expected San Francisco to trade out of the 31st pick to acquire more draft capital considering they entered day 1 without a single draft pick in rounds 2 thru 4, they would instead trade up from the 31st pick to the 25th spot where coach Shanahan would find his newest toy on offense. In need of a receiver to fill the void left by Emmanuel Sanders who agreed to a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, the 49ers sent picks 31, 117 and 176 to the Minnesota Vikings in return for the 25th pick which they would use to select Arizona State wide-out Brandon Aiyuk. Possessing an 81-inch wingspan, the longest of any player under 6-foot in combine history, Aiyuk averaged 9.9 YAC (yards after catch) which ranked first among all receivers in his draft class. But as good as he was on offense for the Sun Devils, he also poses a threat on special-teams in punt returns where he'll likely takeover duties this season. Interestingly enough, Shanahan admitted after the first round that he and Lynch considered taking Aiyuk at pick 13 or 14 before he eventually fell into their lap at 25, feeling the need to trade up from 31 as the former Arizona State alum likely would've been off the board by then they feared. 

In what was a rather bland opening round to the Draft in the family reaction department, the Kinlaw's, specifically Javon's father, provided arguably the best reaction of the night when he hit the floor and rolled around in excitement upon hearing his son's name called. It was little moments like that that we all needed in a time like this and just one more reason that we all can't wait to get back to a sense of normalcy and the game of football.

The 2020 NFL Draft continues with Rounds 2 & 3 on Friday with San Francisco projected to pick up the action again on Saturday in Rounds 4 thru 7.


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49ers keep Winning-Streak Alive by Beating Raiders in Coin Toss

Although the San Francisco 49ers haven't played a single down since their season-finale win over the division rival Rams on New Year's Eve, the Niners have added yet another tally in the win column and are now 6-0 since the start of the Jimmy Garoppolo era after a different kind of victory in Indianapolis on Friday. With the 2018 regular season expected to feature the final installment of the Battle of the Bay between the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, unless of course the two were to miraculously meet in the Super Bowl before the Black Hole packs its bags and departs to its new home in Las Vegas come 2020, the two teams met at the NFL Combine for a tiebreaking coin toss that would determine the draft order for the two Bay Area franchises who fell short of the playoffs and finished tied in 2017 with an overall record of 6-10.

Streamed live as fans of the two teams anxiously awaited for the outcome of the coin flip which was done by Rod Woodson who played for both franchises during his Hall of Fame career, the tandem of Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie and newly named head coach Jon Gruden were on hand to represent the silver and black, while Niners GM John Lynch who once upon a time played for coach Gruden's Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers team in 2003, rode solo to represent for his squad. The Niners who have needs at several positions, won the toss and will select 9th overall, one spot ahead of the Raiders at pick No. 10. Most Mock Draft's heading into April's Draft have had the winning team of the coin toss taking either Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds or Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, and the losing team taking whichever player is still available out of the two at No. 10. Unless of course either player is selected earlier or if either team was to trade down or out of their original spot.

Oddly enough, it would mark the second time a coin toss involving these two franchises would take place to determine draft order, as the 49ers once again reigned victorious against the Raiders for the 6th overall pick back in 2006 which the 49ers would use to select Maryland tight-end Vernon Davis. And while San Francisco has a 2-0 advantage over Oakland in all-time draft order coin tosses, it's the Raiders who currently own a 7-6 advantage over their Bay Area counterparts in regular season match-ups. That's something John Lynch and company hope to change by evening the score when the two teams meet as the NFC West squares off against the AFC West this season. But back to the Draft which will commence on April 26, San Francisco will look to fill whatever holes they're unable to address on the free-agent market as the 49ers front-office is expected to be very active and aggressive in luring top free-agent talent with close to $70 Million available in cap space, even after signing QB Jimmy Garoppolo to a new deal.

Though the 49ers would love to have either one of the following three fall players to them at No. 9 -- Penn State RB Saquon Barkley, N.C. State DE Bradley Chubb and Notre Dame OG Quenton Nelson, the likelihood of any of those three names still being on the board come San Francisco's pick, is unlikely, assuming they don't trade down. Each player would fill a void in a different area as bringing in Barkley would address the uncertainty of free-agent Carlos Hyde, Chubb would give the Niners the edge-rusher they've so desperately needed since Aldon Smith was cut, and Nelson would help keep their investment in Jimmy G on his feet. Then again the two guys they're projected to take at No. 9 also solve needs as Edmunds eases the burden at linebacker in case the situation regarding Reuben Foster gets worse, stemming form his two arrests last month, and Ward would supply the Niner defense with a shutdown corner they've been in search of for years. But after Lynch won over fans and took Draft night by storm a season ago by trading out of the second overall pick to move one spot back with the Chicago Bears, still getting the guy they wanted all along in Solomon Thomas and then trading back into the first round to select Reuben Foster, I know better than to assume anything with this front-office and John Lynch at the helm.

Hoping one day it'll be an important piece of 49ers history as the team still seeks its sixth Super Bowl title and first since the 1994 season, the coin which was used for the toss will be added to the 49ers Museum at Levi's Stadium.


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Lakers Fulfill a Dream, Draft Lonzo Ball

With the 2017 NBA Draft officially in the books, the Los Angeles Lakers are one step closer to finishing their rebuilding process and competing for an NBA title, or at least they hope. After landing the second overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery for the third consecutive year, the brain trust of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka made UCLA point-guard Lonzo Ball the newest member of the Lakers. Chosen as the first player under the Lakers' new regime, Magic is putting all of his eggs into Lonzo's basket in hopes of him being the new face of the franchise a season after the former UCLA Bruin helped lead the program to the Sweet 16 and compiled the most assists in a single-season in UCLA history as a one and done freshman.

Though its been widely speculated that many including Lonzo's outspoken father LaVar Ball saw the pick coming months ago, nothing was set in stone until NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced L.A.'s selection on Draft night Thursday evening. Despite the rumor of it being a foregone conclusion that the Lakers would take Ball, Magic and company still did their due diligence by working out other players and at least listening to trade offers. Not to mention a few boulders needed to be shifted along the way to make room for their "new leader" as Johnson called him. Having grown up in Southern California and playing collegiately just a stones throw away from his new home in Staples Center, Lonzo did take a gamble by working out exclusively for the hometown Lakers. And though he would consider working out for other clubs once the Lakers announced they had sent out invites to several other players in the Draft, the Lakers remained the only team he would meet with after both parties scheduled a second workout which solidified L.A.'s decision and proved to pay dividends for the 19-year old Ball. 

Having drawn comparisons to future Hall of Fame point-guard Jason Kidd, the Lakers are getting an elite passer who is dynamic in transition and is an excellent shooter, something Kidd was not. When comparing their college numbers, Ball shot a 73% field goal percentage from within the three-point line compared to Kidd's 54% at Cal Berkeley. He also had him beat from behind the arch as Ball shot 41% from three compared to Kidd's 33%. So if Lonzo can pan out to be a better shooting version of Jason Kidd, I'd say the Lakers made out alright and have their leader Magic coveted.

If Lonzo can succeed in a Laker uniform, he'll deserve all the praise in the world as he enters the league with lofty expectations set by the constant chatter and sound bytes from his loudmouth father, coupled with playing under the bright lights of his hometown in L.A. And then there's the void left by the now departed D'Angelo Russell who the Lakers decided to trade in order to make room for Lonzo. Two days prior to the Draft, the Lakers packaged Russell who was selected second overall just two years ago and the expensive contract of Timofey Mozgov to Brooklyn in exchange for center Brook Lopez and the 27th Pick in Thursday's Draft which they would then use to select power-forward Kyle Kuzma out of Utah. While critics and fans alike praised the move which now free's the Lakers of Mozgov's terrible four-year, $64 Million dollar contract, they also expressed their disappointment in the Lakers' front-office for giving up on Russell so early into his career. Coming out of College at Ohio State University, Russell was touted as being the best passing point-guard since Magic Johnson. And though he would often times show flashes of brilliance, mostly with his shooting, he struggled to rack up the assists and failed to even resemble Kevin Johnson, much less Magic Johnson.

With the trade being just as much a salary dump as it was a chance to make room for Ball, the Lakers have now freed up nearly $60 Million in cap space for the chance of potentially luring two big name free-agents with such names as Paul George and LeBron James expected to hit the free-agent market in 2017-18. With lots of money to play with in the coming seasons comes plenty of intrigue. But that's not to say this season isn't worth forgetting about according to one person. Just when you hoped the annoying interviews and quotes from Lonzo's father LaVar Ball were through, out he comes with another batch freshly brewed from that relentless mouth of his. After his son was introduced by the team during a press-conference on Friday, LaVar made sure to add at least one more pressure-filled prediction on his son's shoulders by claiming, "Lonzo Ball is going to take the Lakers to the playoffs this year." While I hope he isn't wrong with that one, if Lonzo and company can deliver on LaVar's latest promise, it'll end the Lakers' four-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise history.


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