It won't count in his official rookie stats, but 49ers first-round quarterback Trey Lance turned plenty of heads with the first completion of his professional career.
Lance unleashed an 80-yard bomb to Trent Sherfield on his second drive to put San Francisco on the board against the Chiefs on Saturday night. He came into the game on the 49ers' second series after Jimmy Garoppolo started the first.
The 49ers traded three first-round picks and a third-round pick to move up from No. 12 to No. 3 and take Lance in the 2021 draft, signaling the franchise's belief in him as the future of the offense. Garoppolo, 29, still has two years remaining on his five-year, $137.5 million contract.
Lance was among the most intriguing prospects in this year's draft. At 6'4", 224 pounds, he has ideal size and athleticism for the modern game, but questions remained about his relative lack of experience. In his lone season as a starter at North Dakota State, he threw for 2,786 yards with 28 touchdowns and no interceptions, leading the Bison to an undefeated season and national championship.
After coming up short in Super Bowl LIV, San Francisco took a step back last season. The team finished 6–10 in 2020 as Garoppolo was limited to just six games due to injury.
