Good Morning Faithful,
Here are the top 49ers headlines for Monday, May 3.
In Case You Missed It
49ers Snap 18-Year Streak of Drafting a Receiver and Here's Why
The 49ers 2021 NFL Draft class is now complete. Eight players taken over this three-day event will strengthen an already talented depth chart, providing quality to the offensive line, secondary and offensive backfield in particular.
The group includes three defensive backs, two offensive linemen, two running backs, one prized quarterback and zero receivers.
That last number formally snaps an 18-year streak. The 49ers didn't take a receiver for the first time since 2002, which is somewhat of a surprise considering perceived team needs. Read More >>>
Alex Smith Calls In to the 49ers Pre-draft Show
During the 49ers "Countdown to Draft" show presented by Mountain Mike's Pizza, Smith called in to discuss life after announcing his retirement, favorite memories as a Niner and his draft day outfit. Watch the full video below. 👇
Full List of San Francisco 49ers 2021 NFL Draft Picks
John Lynch said that he felt the San Francisco 49ers "got better" at the close of the 2021 NFL Draft. They did so by adding eight players to help fill needs and adds depth at several positions on the roster.
Day 1 Recap
49ers Select QB Trey Lance
With the third-overall pick, the San Francisco 49ers selected quarterback Trey Lance out of North Dakota State.
Despite playing just one game in 2020 amid a postponed season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lance has been highly regarded as a Top 5 quarterback. During his 2019 campaign, the quarterback threw for 2,786 yards on 287 attempts and 28 touchdowns, while completing nearly 67 percent of his passes. He set an NCAA record for the most passes thrown in a season without an interception during that year.
Considered a dual-threat quarterback, Lance has rushed for nearly 1,200 yards in his two seasons at North Dakota State, the most yards of any other first-round QB prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft. Read More >>>
How 49ers Surprised Trey Lance, Entire League with Third-overall Pick
John Lynch picked up the phone Thursday night without many knowing who the 49ers general manager was going to dial. A gang of just four truly knew heading into the 2021 NFL Draft, a group that expanded to other 49ers staffers just moments before the No. 3 overall selection was formally made.
Trey Lance was among those still sitting in the dark, with no idea that the landline to his left was about to ring. The sound was a welcome surprise, signifying a dream fulfilled and NFL career about to begin. Read More >>>
Experts Grade 49ers First Round Pick
Fox Sports: A
NFL.com: A
Bleacher Report: A
Yahoo! Sports: B
SBNation: B-
See All Grades >>>
Day 2 Recap
49ers Select G Aaron Banks
The San Francisco 49ers traded back five spots with the Las Vegas Raiders from their original No. 43 overall pick and acquired Nos. 48 and 121. With the trade, the 49ers managed to beef up their offensive line with guard Aaron Banks out of Notre Dame.
Banks earned a spot on the first-team Associated Press All-American team in 2020 as well as first-team All-ACC notice while starting 12 games for the Fighting Irish. According to Pro Football Focus, Banks allowed only two sacks and 19 total pressures in 443 true pass sets over three seasons at Notre Dame. Read More >>>
49ers Select RB Trey Sermon
The San Francisco 49ers knew what they wanted and traded up in the draft to get him. With the 88th-overall pick, the 49ers landed Ohio State running back Trey Sermon.
Sermon spent his first three seasons at Oklahoma and registered 2,076 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. He transferred to Ohio State in 2019 and notched 870 yards on the ground on 116 carries and four touchdowns. Sermon was also involved in the passing game with the Cowboys and Buckeyes, recording 486 receiving yards on 48 receptions (10.1 yards per reception) and three additional scores. Read More >>>
49ers Select CB Ambry Thomas
The San Francisco 49ers added depth to their cornerback room with the third-round selection. The 49ers drafted cornerback Ambry Thomas out of Michigan.
Thomas opted out of the 2020 season, however, notched a impressive 2019 campaign. As a junior in 2019, Thomas started all 13 games and recorded three of his four career interceptions, three passes defended and two forced fumbles. He also registered a career-high 38 total tackles.
The former Wolverine was named the team's Defensive Skill Player of the Year in 2019 and was also named to Pro Football Focus College's All-Big Ten Team on defense (second team, cornerback). Read More >>>
Day 3 Recap
49ers Select T Jaylon Moore
Projected to be drafted in the fourth round, the San Francisco 49ers managed to land Western Michigan tackle Jaylon Moore with their first fifth-round pick of the day.
Moore was a two-time Second-Team All-Mac selection. Starting 32 of 37 career games, Moore has allowed just seven sacks over 1,056 pass blocking snaps during his time with the Broncos. In 2020, he played all six games and allowed just three sacks on 173 pass blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He also blocked for a Western Michigan offense that ranked fourth in the MAC in yards per game (479.7). Read More >>>
49ers Select DB Deommodore Lenoir
The San Francisco 49ers continued to beef up their secondary in the draft, this time, with the selection of Deommodore Lenoir with the No. 172 pick in the draft.
Pac-12 coaches voted "Dede" honorable mention All-Pac-12 in 2019 after he posted 47 stops, 2.5 for loss, an interception and seven passed defended. He started all seven games in a season shortened by COVID-19 and finished his career with the Ducks with 34 consecutive starts at cornerback. He notched 30 total tackles, including a team-best 24 solo stops and allowed a 53.1 completion percentage when targeted 32 times, according to Pro Football Focus, good for third among Pac-12 cornerbacks with 30 or more targets. He was selected second-team all-conference for his play in 2020. Read More >>>
49ers Select S Talanoa Hufanga
In back-to-back picks, the San Francisco 49ers bolstered their defensive backfield after selecting safety Talanoa Hufanga with the No. 180 pick.
Appearing in 24 games throughout his career at USC, Hufanga notched 203 tackles, including 16.5 for losses (with 6.5 sacks), eight pass deflections, four interceptions and four forced fumbles. Read More >>>
Talanoa Hufanga's Reaction is What the NFL Draft is All About
The NFL Draft is great theater for a few reasons. The first and most apparent is seeing the talent your favorite team (the 49ers, obviously) acquires on its mission to win the Super Bowl. The second, and most moving, is watching 259 consecutive dreams come true on live television.
There are only two words to describe USC defensive back Talanoa Hufanga's response to the 49ers taking him No. 180 overall on Saturday afternoon.
Pure joy.
Read More >>>
49ers Select RB Elijah Mitchell
With San Francisco's final pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected running back Elijah Mitchell out of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Mitchell was regarded as Louisiana's top running back in 2020. He appeared in 10 games last season (nine starts) and rushed 141 times for 878 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry, the fifth best in the conference. His yardage total was third in his conference and 23rd nationally. Read More >>>
