It now appears certain that the 49ers will be selecting a quarterback in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft, after the team pulled off a blockbuster trade to move up from No. 12 to No. 3, sending a trio of first-round draft picks to the Miami Dolphins to complete the move.
Do the 49ers have a particular quarterback in mind? It remains unclear, but this photo from a workout at the QB Collective seems to indicate that Ohio State's Justin Fields was in a workout with none other than 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
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The QB Collective is a "pro-style development pipeline" for high school athletes looking to refine their skills at quarterback. The staff features a number of current and former NFL coaches, including Shanahan, his father Mike, 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and division rival head coach of the Los Angeles Rams Sean McVay.
Fields is the player featured on the home page when you go to the company's website, and he clearly has continued his work with the experienced staff as he prepares for the draft.
Fields appears to be much younger in the photo, so this workout likely came when he was in high school or earlier in his college career.
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The current consensus among league insiders seems to be that Trevor Lawrence is a near certainty to be taken No. 1 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the New York Jets reportedly have BYU's Zach Wilson in their sights at No. 2.
North Dakota State's Trey Lance also will factor into the decision at No. 3, and some league insiders even see national champion Mac Jones as the player the 49ers are targeting with this move.
Wilson and Fields offer differing skillsets, but clearly the 49ers' offensive brain trust has gotten a first-hand look at Fields for years through his work with the QB Collective.
So is it a coincidence that the 49ers make a move to get the No. 3 pick with Fields appearing to be the most likely selection there?
We'll all find out together on April 29, when the first round of the draft gets underway.