2021 NFL Draft winners: 10 teams that crushed it

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers had the entire football world thinking they had traded three first-round picks to select Mac Jones, but they picked evolution at the quarterback position rather than more of the same, going with a dual-threat quarterback in Trey Lance who can take Kyle Shanahan’s offense to new heights.

Beyond that dramatic move, the 49ers beefed up their pass protection, addressing a long-term problem at guard with the second-round selection of Aaron Banks and adding more depth at that spot in the fifth round with tackle Jaylon Moore, whom they plan to use on the interior.

Cornerbacks Ambry Thomas, Deommodore Lenoir and box safety Talanoa Hufanga provide useful secondary depth with Jason Verrett, K’Waun Williams and Jaquiski Tartt all on one-year contracts.

But the biggest takeaway from this draft for the 49ers may be the impact on the run game. Lance’s combination of speed and power should add zone-read and read-option concepts to the Shanahan offense, while the additions of Trey Sermon and Elijah Mitchell will give San Francisco two dynamic options on the ground that could soon become the lead runners in the backfield with Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr and Wayne Gallman all free agents in 2022.

The 49ers are set up to contend now and in the future. Niners fans may have had a great deal of anxiety heading into the draft, but now they can look ahead with great excitement.