Insider hints at Kyle Shanahan being forced by 49ers to draft Trey Lance over Mac Jones in 2021

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan might have been overridden by the organization when choosing quarterback Trey Lance. He was the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, rather than Mac Jones, who was said to be Kyle's first choice.

Sports Illustrated's Grant Cohn gave an insight into the matter in his column that appeared on April 6, 2025.

The remarks appeared in Cohn's piece entitled "Did the 49ers Ever Truly Want Trey Lance in the First Place?". He went back to the unpopular 2021 draft move that involved the 49ers trading three first-rounders along with a third-round pick to shift up to the third overall pick.

"I'm guessing Shanahan always wanted Jones but was told by the organization that he wasn't an option, so he reluctantly took Lance instead. Lance was a project Shanahan didn't want to take on. His heart wasn't in it. He merely wanted a quarterback who fits his system, and that's Jones," said Cohn.

NFL: San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals - Source: Imagn

The 49ers also moved to sign Mac Jones this offseason after Trey Lance went to the Los Angeles Chargers, where he will be under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Trey Lance's career may have been sidetracked by coaching apathy

NFL: Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys - Source: Imagn

Cohn discussed Trey Lance's stunted growth in San Francisco to the supposed lack of commitment from his coaches:

"It's too bad he had to waste the first four seasons of his career with coaches who had no vision for him."

Trey Lance starred at North Dakota State, where he started 17-0 and took the Bison to an FCS national championship in 2019. He has not been able to lock down consistent playing time in the NFL, with only 12 games and five starts over four years, having thrown 143 passes for 81 completions for 1,063 yards and five touchdowns.

The quarterback's stint with the Niners was indeed short. Following his selection third overall, Lance played six games as a rookie in 2021, starting only two. He started the 2022 season as the San Francisco starter, but sustained a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 and was subsequently traded to the Dallas Cowboys.

Now with the Chargers, Lance will fight for the second-string quarterback job behind Justin Herbert. The staff, headed by Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz, sees his acquisition as part of their philosophy to promote competition around the roster.