2021 NFL Draft: Day 1 Live Updates

Welcome to the inaugural Inspired 49ers NFL Draft weekend!

Today, I (Scooter_McG) am lucky enough to be your host - a big thank you to razor for not only setting this blog site up and letting me post my thoughts, but also for allowing me the opportunity to provide you all with live updates during Day 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft! 

The plan over draft weekend will be to provide a "living" blog article each day of the draft for us all to comment on, which one of us (today, me) will update as key (mostly 49er related) events happen. So please keep checking in for updated content in the article, not just new comments from other fellow blog posters. 

Today is obviously a pivotal day for the 49ers future as they look to take what will hopefully be the 49ers QB for the next decade or more. A lot is riding on this pick, especially after giving up two future first round picks to move up from 12. 

We've had a lot of debate over the past month following the trade, lots of fans that are worried about who the team has been linked with taking - yes, Mac Jones has gotten in some fans heads, not just here but everywhere! I still think those fears are unwarranted and it will be Trey Lance. But today the truth to all the rumours and speculation will finally be laid bare and we will be able to move on knowing who is Shanahan's chosen one.  

There are already some interesting stories developing related to the 49ers, so even though we're still three hours away from the Draft kicking off, let's all get this thing started and (hopefully) enjoy Day 1 of the Draft!

Live Blog

1:54PM (California): We are still more than three hours away and the fun has already begun. First, Trey Lance has become the betting favourite in some circles for pick #3 (huzzah!). This obviously is music to my ears, and no doubt many fans that don't want it to be Jones. But I think this is all just still guesswork and nobody outside of the 49ers inner circle knows who the pick will be. 

In the last few hours we are also getting some wild rumours of Aaron Rodgers wanting out of Green Bay, and that the 49ers made an offer for him on Wednesday. Sounds like pre-draft craziness to me, but will be one to keep an eye on in the next few hours. 

2:40PM (California): This Aaron Rodgers speculation to the 49ers seems very manufactured to me. More like Rodgers' camp putting pressure on the Packers than any genuine interest by the 49ers. 

3:08PM (California): Not sure if 49er fans have been having fun these past few weeks, but sure seems like Jed York has been. He's been tweeting the past few hours, and half an hour ago he dropped this beauty: "#DraftDay thinking about going for a run. Suspense is too much. How many miles should I go for 1? 5? 10? 12? 16? 1?"

Just messing with 49er fans now! And the correct answer is of course 5.

4:12PM (California): It definitely sounds like Aaron Rodgers is pushing for an exit from the Packers, and that it may be a bridge too far for the Packers to smooth that relationship. That's the danger of drafting a QBOTF while you have an established Hall of Fame calibre starting QB that is looking for his team to go all in on winning before his career ends. But I find it hard to believe he goes to the 49ers - to be honest the trade up to #3 probably makes it impossible for the 49ers to put a package together to entice the Packers. It is going to be fascinating to see how the building Rodgers saga plays out.

4:26PM: The closer we get to Draft kickoff, the more the media is coming off the Mac Jones at #3 belief, with Trey Lance now widely expected to be the pick. But one and all are making it clear they don't actually know, and it is still merely speculation.  

4:50PM: Rumours are swirling that the Broncos are the leading candidate to trade for Rodgers. That makes a lot of sense to me, and a lot more sense than the 49ers making that deal. 

5:00PM: As the Draft is FINALLY set to kick off, Jed York, bless his soul, with some more fun at 49er fan expense, finishing his last tweet with: "wait phone call coming in... what area code is 920?". That would be Wisconsin...

5:16PM: And here. We. Go! The 2021 NFL Draft is now officially open. Go 49ers!

5:26PM: Despite everyone knowing who the first overall pick will be for months (years?), the Jaguars milked the clock for all its worth, just to make an already delayed draft take even longer. Thanks Jaguars! Anyway, surprise surprise, Trevor Lawrence, the golden child, is the Jaguars new great hope. 

5:34PM: And the Jets do the same, despite this pick being known for a long time. Zach Wilson off to the Jets. So far everything is going as expected. 49ers now on the clock!

5:36PM: Jed having more fun on twitter, saying the phones are down and can't get the pick in, lol!

5:40PM: And after a long month of speculation and debate, the wait is finally over! The pick is officially in .Hold onto your hats 49er fans. 

5:42PM: Trey Lance! Yes!!

5:45PM: Obviously I am stoked with this pick, he's the guy I have been saying the 49ers should take for quite some time. But the real winner here is 49reasons and all the other fans that were desperate for the pick to be anyone but Jones - I am very happy that your health and sanity have been saved!

5:50PM: And the first non-QB is off the board - Pitts to the Falcons. This one makes a lot of sense, but makes you wonder if Julio will be on his way out.

5:53PM: The ESPN crew all believe that taking Lance means the 49ers need to keep Jimmy G this year, as Lance isn't ready to start and needs to sit his rookie season. Personally I don't agree with that line of thinking. Lance is as ready as any of the QBs in this draft. NDSU prepares their QBs for the NFL as well as anybody. 

6:01PM: So the top 5 picks are now in, and it is all offense as expected. And it has all been QBs, and guys for the QBs to throw to. Offense wins in this league these days.

6:05PM: Kyle SHanahan on KNBR just now: Shanahan says Lance was "off the charts" on how he broke down film, communicated verbiage and broke down the minutiae. Also said "he's always going to be a threat at any time. Once we had time to connect with him, we fell in love with him. He checked every single box". Get excited 49er fans!

6:09PM: Per Adam Schefter, Lance's psychological tests for the 49ers were also "off the charts", and the 49ers considered him the smartest QB in this draft class. That's saying something, because there are some very smart ones in this class.

6:18PM: Kyle Shanahan on whether the narrative that Lance caught up to Mac Jones is accurate: "No, it's not". After the Monday presser, my feeling from that was that the belief it was Jones they initially moved up for was wrong, and it was Lance. This would seem to suggest that is accurate. 

6:49PM: The 49ers have concluded their post draft pick press conference. Lynch and Shanahan made it clear that Lance was always "one of two" guys they really liked at #3. Shanahan outlined that Lance pretty much checked all the boxes for a QB, both on the field and off. "Off the charts" intelligence. And has a presence about him like a CEO. He also discussed the running element he brings, and that while you wouldn't necessarily plan around him being a runner he makes a defense play 11 on 11. It is very clear Shanahan is very excited about this pick, and it was his pick, and his pick all along.  

6:51PM: And in a bit of a surprise, the fourth QB didn't go off the board until pick 11. Fields off to the Bears, likely trying to leapfrog the Patriots. Will be interesting to see where Jones gets picked.

7:15PM: And the speculation of where Jones would fall if not taken by the 49ers is over - the Patriots take their QBOTF. This one always seemed likely if the 49ers didn't take him.

7:38PM: As Mood mentioned, really enjoying seeing where the Cardinals are headed. Two LBs in back to back years, both of whom look overdrafted to me. They really fear the 49ers running game and passing game over the middle. 

7:50PM: We're now in the 20s, and its time to start wondering... will the 49ers look to trade back into the end of round 1?

8:26PM: According to Keiana Martin, Jimmy G asked for Trey Lance's number as soon as the pick was made to give him a call and welcome him to the team. That's A+ grade leadership and character from the 49ers team captain, welcoming the player that was selected to be his replacement. Whatever you may think of Jimmy G the player, Jimmy G the person and teammate is elite. 

8:40PM: Well, it won't be Payton Turner at #43 like I predicted. He's gone at pick #28 to the Saints. Pity - would have loved him opposite Bosa. 

9:10PM: And so that's a wrap for Day 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft! It started with a bang for 49ers fans, getting the guy a lot of people wanted, and more importantly, not taking the guy a lot of people feared they would. The 49ers did not end up trading back into the end of round 1, which saw a bit of a run on defensive players, in particular edge players. 

Tomorrow will bring more intrigue for 49er fans, as they look to continue to build their roster, and potentially also look to accumulate picks for future years. 

I had originally planned on doing a recap of the day/ 49ers first round pick after Day 1, but I'm pretty wiped after all of that! So I will probably wait until after Day 2 (or maybe even Day 3) to provide a wrap up of the 49ers draft picks. 

Thanks everyone for following along and commenting through the day. Tomorrow razor will be providing the live blog - thanks in advance!

Alright, that's me signing off on this Day 1 live blog. Go 49ers!