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Trey Lance. Aaron Banks. Trey Sermon. Those are all bruisers. The 49ers are getting back to the brand of football where they hit you in the mouth. I love it.
2021 NFL Draft: Why 49ers picked Trey Sermon with No. 88 pick
The biggest thing that distinguishes Sermon from the three veteran backs on the 49ers’ roster is that he will sign a four-year contract and is assured of being around for the next several seasons.
Mostert, Wilson and Gallman are signed only through the upcoming season.
It is also possible — if not likely — the 49ers will have their fifth different leading rusher in the first five seasons of coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure with the organization.
Carlos Hyde, Matt Breida, Mostert and Wilson led the 49ers’ in rushing the past four seasons.
San Francisco’s biggest immediate need at running back was for more of a change-of-pace running back who can run crisp routes and catch passes out of the backfield.
Winner: Trey Lance and the 49ers
What a beautiful, exhilarating pairing. Instead of San Francisco playing it “safe” and confirming all the pre-draft buzz around Mac Jones, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan rightly gambled on Lance’s sky-high ceiling, which is especially apparent in the latter’s run-heavy offense. Lance, meanwhile, gets the benefit of joining a playoff-ready roster in sunny California. A total win-win.
Betting market surged ahead of Trey Lance pick by San Francisco 49ers in NFL draft
The betting market was proved correct when the San Francisco 49ers selected Lance with the third pick and settled the most volatile and most heavily bet proposition wager of the draft.
At 2 p.m. Thursday, DraftKings took a $75,000 bet on Lance to go third at even money, according to a company spokesperson. When it was over, Lance had gone from a 3-1 underdog to closing as a -180 favorite.
The afternoon flurry of action caused sportsbook PointsBet to halt betting on multiple proposition offerings, including the No. 3 pick and the over/under on Jones’ and Lance’s draft positions. More money was bet on Jones to go No. 3 than any other player at most sportsbooks.
The betting interest on the odds to be the No. 3 pick topped all other draft propositions offered at sportsbooks. More than twice as much money was bet on the No. 3 pick as any other draft offering at William Hill. FanDuel said the odds on the No. 3 pick was its most heavily bet market of the draft as well.
Draft grades roundup: 49ers get mixed reviews for second-round selection of OL Aaron Banks
* Bleacher Report/Brent Sobleski: D. ”Some draft picks relative to their team fit just make you go ‘hmmm,’” wrote Sobleski. “Banks is not the type of lineman often projected for the San Francisco 49ers’ zone stretch. Typically, a heavy outside-zone system requires athletic interior blockers who display outstanding lateral movement. Banks isn’t that. Kyle Shanahan and Co. typically deserve the benefit of the doubt. Here’s hoping that this doesn’t become a repeat of the Josh Garnett situation.”
* CBS Sports/Chris Trapasso: C-plus. ”Big, bruising guard with a wide body,” wrote Trapasso. “Anchoring is naturally outstanding. Athleticism is average at best for the position. He’ll handle power players well. Smaller types will give him problems. Weird fit in San Francisco.”
* Draft Wire/Luke Easterling: D. ”The 49ers made a wise move to help out their new quarterback in Trey Lance, but Banks was a Day 3 prospect who would have been a much better value in the fourth round,” wrote Easterling. “Seeing him go ahead of players like Ohio State’s Wyatt Davis is puzzling, at best. The 49ers had a big need at corner, as well.”
But what does Rich Hill’s oft-used trade value chart say about the deal? Here’s how it breaks down.
Rams trade: No. 88 (47 points)
49ers trade: Nos. 117 (27 points) and 121 (25 points) = 52 total points
So the Rams win this deal by five points, which is the equivalent of a sixth-round pick. It’s not anything significant, but it wouldn’t have been unreasonable for the Rams to give the 49ers back the 209th overall pick.