The first round of the 2021 NFL Draft is just hours away, and we all know by now the San Francisco 49ers have Alabama quarterback Mac Jones penciled in at No. 3.
Not so fast.
The Niners have been linked to Jones pretty much since they traded up to get the third overall pick, but the betting market suddenly is telling a different story. Multiple online sportsbooks now have North Dakota State QB Trey Lance as the overwhelming favorite to come off the board at No. 3.
Odds for the No. 3 pick, per FanDuel Sportsbook:
Trey Lance -160
Mac Jones +130
Justin Fields +900
And BetMGM:
Lance -150
Jones +125
Fields +900
There really hasn’t been any notable reporting to support the shift in odds, but oddsmakers have a way of knowing these things before they actually happen. It’s possible, of course, that the shift in odds is driven by incoming bets, but it’s not like this is one sportsbook changing to protect its position. This is a pretty noticeable and fairly widespread change.
Maybe the more interesting question is whether it’s the 49ers who end up making that pick at No. 3. Obviously, they traded way up — even with Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster — because there’s someone they wanted to select. This could be media maneuvering, but there has been plenty of San Fran chatter over the last week or two; the Niners really haven’t done much to keep their plans a secret the way a team like the New England Patriots does.
Heck, on Thursday morning, we learned of a potential mega-offer made to the Green Bay Packers for reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers. It feels like the 49ers either haven’t made up their minds or currently lead the league in smoke screens.
Whatever the case, it should be incredibly interesting to see how things play out ahead of Round 1.
