The San Francisco 49ers are dipping back into the 2021 quarterback class, which featured five first-round quarterback prospects. Although none of the quarterbacks from that year’s draft class have panned out as expected, it’s a group that’s particularly haunting for the Niners.
San Francisco traded away three first-round picks and a 2022 third-round pick to acquire the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. They used the pick to select North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, who was the third quarterback selected that year. Although none of the first-round quarterbacks from that year’s class panned out as expected, all of them have fared better than Lance.
The trade proved to be one of the worst in NFL history. Despite being surrounded by a talented roster and an offensive-minded head coach, Lance never threw for 250 yards or three touchdowns in a single game. After just four starts in two seasons, the Niners gave up on Lance and moved onto Brock Purdy, the No. 262 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Now, they’ve taken an interest in another quarterback from Lance’s class.
Mac Jones chose the 49ers for stability and to be around winners
With Purdy poised to earn a record-setting contract, the Niners locked up the backup position by signing quarterback Mac Jones in free agency. While speaking with reporters last week, Jones discussed why he elected to sign with San Francisco in free agency.
“I feel like there's a lot of good people here, a lot of winners here,” Jones said, via the team website. “So really just wanted to surround myself with winners.”
Jones, the No. 15 overall pick in 2021, was selected by the New England Patriots, who had finished with double-digit victories in all but one of the past 18 seasons. At the time, there were few, if any, sports teams with a collection of more accomplished and experienced winners.
Under the tutelage of former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Jones put together a Pro Bowl season and finished second in NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. The Alabama product took a significant step backward in his second year as the Patriots underwent instability at offensive coordinator.
Jones’ development was interrupted by the coaching turnover, and he finished with just 12 passing touchdowns. In his third year, Jones started 11 games and threw for just 2,120 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The following offseason, Jones was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he served as the backup for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in his draft class.
In San Francisco, Jones will find stability under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system. More importantly, the Niners have shown the ability to help revive a struggling quarterback’s career. Sam Darnold spent a year as Purdy’s backup during the 2023 season, which helped earn him an opportunity with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. Darnold’s success in Minnesota helped earn him a lucrative deal with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.
"And obviously Kyle and his résumé speaks for itself,” Jones said. “He's done a great job in the NFL and he always produces each year and that's something that I want to be around."
There were rumors before the 2021 NFL Draft that the Niners were interested in selecting Jones. Although they ultimately went with Lance, Shanahan will now have an opportunity to find out what he missed out on.