Ryan Day describes perfect fit for Justin Fields, and it sounds a lot like the 49ers

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has outlined the perfect NFL fit for Justin Fields, and it sure sounds like one team in particular.

After Trevor Lawrence as the locked in No. 1 overall pick later this month, the rest of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft class can be put in almost any order depending on the analyst. Justin Fields is somewhere in the top-5, with a case to be the second signal caller taken.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has praised and defended his former quarterback, as false narratives about Fields have surfaced. During an appearance on the Move The Sticks podcast with NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks last week, Day described the ideal system for Fields to thrive as a rookie.

"I think, early on, an offense that is — run, play-action, get him on the move,” Day said. “He’s really good out of the pocket, controlled passing game. And then as time goes on and he starts to feel more and more comfortable in the pocket with the third-down and red-zone, drop-back passing concepts, he’ll continue to just build. And the more reps he gets at that, the better. But like any time you have a young quarterback, I think things where he’s on the move and athletic and you give him the ability to make plays outside of the pocket is going to be exciting to watch."

The best NFL fit for Justin Fields seems obvious for Day

With their big move from No. 12 overall to No. 3, the San Francisco 49ers clearly have their eye on a quarterback. Mac Jones has been the easy betting favorite, but visions of a mobile quarterback running Kyle Shanahan’s offense are enticing. Shanahan and GM John Lynch are doing their due diligence, taking the second opportunities to see Fields and Trey Lance at Pro Days over the next week.

Shanahan’s offense is rooted in the running game and play-action, and his ability to coax acceptable play out of lower-end quarterbacks (Nick Mullens) has proven his mettle as an offensive mind. Fields has more upside than Jones, and that could easily tip the scales toward him when San Francisco is on the clock at No. 3.