San Francisco 49ers 2021 mock draft: Building around Mac Jones

The San Francisco 49ers made a very bold move to get up into the top 3 picks of the 2021 NFL Draft.

The last time John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan were picking in the top three, they chose Solomon Thomas over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Not the greatest memory of their time together in San Francisco, no doubt.

Now, even with Jimmy Garoppolo under contract, the 49ers have moved up into the 2021 NFL Draft to get “their guy” at the quarterback position and hopefully rejuvenate this team’s championship window.

Garoppolo has proven himself to be unreliable at best when it comes to staying healthy, and above average at best when he’s actually on the field.

It’s not easy to find great help at quarterback these days, but the San Francisco 49ers are going all in believing that one of the top three players in the 2021 NFL Draft will be the difference-maker they need at the quarterback position.

The question now becomes, who did the 49ers trade up for?

Everyone knows the Jaguars are taking Trevor Lawrence. The New York Jets’ interest in Zach Wilson has been telegraphed as well.

The San Francisco 49ers will be picking from the trio of Trey Lance, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones.

Although Lance and Fields have been jockeying for QB2 position since last Summer, it appears as though all of the smoke for the San Francisco 49ers right now seems to point to the former Alabama quarterback and 2020 Heisman contender Mac Jones.

Let’s take a look at a 7-round mock draft scenario with the 49ers building their offense around the former Crimson Tide quarterback.

The closer we get to the 2021 NFL Draft, the more abundantly clear it becomes that the San Francisco 49ers identified Jones as their target with the 3rd overall pick.

There is obviously still a possibility that they could be going after Justin Fields or Trey Lance, but right now, all of the smoke is pointing in Jones’ direction.

Adam Schefter of ESPN stated pretty emphatically on the radio that Mac Jones will be the third quarterback off the board.

This is not the first report of Jones going to the 49ers since they have traded for the third pick, not by a long shot.

Although most people who evaluate players for the NFL Draft didn’t have Jones as the QB3 or third overall player in this class. One guy who has had Mac Jones fairly consistently rated higher than everyone else is ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who has had Jones in his top 15 pretty much all season.

The 49ers obviously really like the way Jones is able to spread the ball around the field accurately, and to all levels of the field. Jones doesn’t have the mobility of Trey Lance and Justin Fields, but he has better anticipation with his throws and his ball placement is tremendous.

When you combine the fact that he’s played against top flight defenses in the SEC, he’s put up big numbers and limited turnovers in the process, and the way some of his former Alabama teammates have gone to bat for him, it’s not hard to see why the 49ers would like him this much.

Jones may not be everyone’s flavor, but he’s exactly the type of player this team can win with and he works for Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

If you get yourself a young quarterback, go and get him some help.

The 49ers have a few very solid weapons in the passing game already in tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Those guys will be excellent weapons for Mac Jones to get the ball to but in the second round, the San Francisco 49ers will have to consider what kind of value they can get at positions of depth in this class. They have quite a few picks on day two and day three, so going after a big-time receiver here as opposed to maybe one of the better cornerbacks or interior offensive linemen left could make some sense.

Nico Collins is an absolute freak of an athlete at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds.

With three absolute monsters after the catch in Samuel, Aiyuk, and Kittle, Collins would give the 49ers a vertical threat in the passing game that can in 50-50 situations seemingly at will. He has the type of speed and explosiveness you covet at the position, and with a 6-foot-4 frame, he’s not likely to lose many matchups with defensive backs.

This player could really help take advantage of Mac Jones’ deep ball accuracy.

Day two of the 2021 NFL Draft could wind up being a sweet spot for teams looking to add to the defensive backfield.

There is plenty of depth at both safety and cornerback, and there happen to be a number of players who could translate well to multiple positions at the next level.

One of the most athletic, versatile talents in this class is Syracuse defensive back Trill Williams, who can be deployed as a safety, outside corner, slot, or whatever else you ask him to do.

With his size (6-foot-2) and speed, Williams is a ball of clay the 49ers would probably love to try and mold after letting both Richard Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon walk in free agency in 2021.

They need to find a way to replenish their depth in the defensive backfield after losing those guys, and Williams is the type of player who could get his feet wet early in a number of spots.

Ultimately, I think his ceiling is developing as a permanent fixture on the outside, but he can play all over in the interim.

The San Francisco 49ers have a pretty quick turnaround from their compensatory third-round selection to their fourth-round selection, so they can be flexible with their first pick and hope someone else they like drops a few spots to round four.

Although interior offensive line is a more pressing need, the value of Cincinnati offensive lineman James Hudson was too good to pass up on at this particular spot.

With Hudson’s movement skills and strength, he could potentially play inside as a guard in the Shanahan offense anyway.

The former defensive lineman has shown flashes of brilliance in his transition to the offensive line, and he certainly has long-term upside as a left tackle if that’s where teams see him fitting over the long haul.

Even as raw as he is, if the 49ers pencil him in next to Trent Williams on the left side of their line, he could learn from one of the greats and give the Niners a tough, nasty left side of the line for the foreseeable future.

At this stage of the draft, Hudson is a worthwhile dart throw for the 49ers at an extremely valuable position.

San Francisco 49ers Day 3 picks

5a. Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa

In the fifth round, you can’t ask for a better value than this. Elerson Smith might give you day two results as a rookie for the price of a day three pick.

He has tremendous length, is powerful, and plays with non-stop effort.

At 6-foot-7, you might not expect Smith’s longer frame to be as powerful as he is, but this guy wins consistently with strong hands and a nice array of moves.

5b. Tyree Gillespie, S, Missouri

Gillespie set the track on fire at the Missouri pro day with a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash. Although some might question that number based on the times coming out of pro days this year, he has shown that speed on tape.

I love Gillespie’s range and explosiveness. He will be a great special teams player early and has starter traits at safety.

5c. Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR, Illinois

Speaking of explosive, Josh Imatorbhebhe is a rare talent at the wide receiver position when it comes to hops.

He posted a 46.5-inch vertical jump at the Illinois pro day and showed that kind of explosive ability at the catch point in his time with the Illini.

6. Drew Dalman, OL, Stanford

In the later rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft, the 49ers lean on some local scouts and pick up a developmental prospect at the offensive guard position. Dalman was a two-time All-Pac 12 selection at Stanford.

7. Tay Gowan, DB, UCF

A favorite of the mock draft machines late on day three, Tay Gowan has a ton of potential and would be a great dart throw late in the draft.

He didn’t play in 2020 but had eight pass breakups and two picks in his 12 games in 2019 for the Knights.