49ers rumors: Justin Fields out of the mix with No. 3 pick

We don’t know for sure what the San Francisco 49ers are going to do with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but we may know how it pertains to Justin Fields.

The San Francisco 49ers changed many things when they traded up nine spots to the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Said trade all but assured that the first three selections would be quarterbacks after Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson went No. 1 and 2, respectively, to the Jaguars and Jets.

However, the mystery that remained with the 49ers was which of the other top-five quarterback prospects in the class they would take. In the immediate aftermath, the assumption was that it would be Justin Fields out of Ohio State. But the favorite then became, in a bit of a shocking development, Alabama’s Mac Jones.

Yet, as the 49ers attended Fields’ second Pro Day workout, many wondered if the Jones buzz was a smokescreen. According to one NFL insider, though, that’s not the case — or at least that Fields isn’t part of the equation.

Appearing on a VSiN show, The Athletic’s Michael Lombardi reported with confidence that the 49ers will not be selecting Justin Fields with the No. 3 overall pick. Lombardi went on to say that the pick would either be Mac Jones or North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and that the team’s decision was not yet finalized. But he was adamant that Fields was not the guy.

With less than two weeks until the 2021 NFL Draft begins on April 29, it’s not shocking to hear a ton of back-and-forth for a team in such a crucial spot with uncertainty surrounding what their plans are. Thus, the “Jones, Fields, Jones, somebody” waffling should be expected.

At the same time, Jones is the name that’s remained most consistent over the past few weeks and, with this word from Lombardi, that now means there is at least a 50 percent chance the Alabama quarterback is the pick. Now we just have to wait and see if that ultimately turns out to be the case.