Count former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith among those who would question Mac Jones being the draft selection at No. 3 overall. It is important to note that Smith likes the Alabama quarterback and describes him as a "solid player," but is he a prospect worth trading future first-round picks and a third-rounder?
Smith doesn't see it.
"I promised to never be the former player that is a hater but I swear I have a hard time understanding the 49ers would trade all of that for Mac Jones," wrote Smith in a tweet. "I like Mac and I think he will be a solid player but as a prospect I don't see the value in 'mortgaging the future' for him."
I promised to never be the former player that is a hater but I swear I have a hard time understanding the 49ers would trade all of that for Mac Jones. I like Mac and I think he will be a solid player but as a prospect I don't see the value in "mortgaging the future" for him.
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) April 13, 2021
Y'all don't think he would've been sitting around 10-12 in the draft?
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) April 13, 2021
Niner fans can certainly relate. While the national media narrative and most mock drafts point to Jones being the most likely selection at No. 3, the fanbase would rather see one of the two prospects perceived to have higher ceilings. Those quarterbacks would be Justin Fields of Ohio State and Trey Lance of North Dakota State.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch attended Jones' second pro day on March 30. They will travel to Columbus tomorrow to watch Fields in person, and then to Fargo next week to work out Lance. The 2021 NFL Draft begins on April 29.
Smith spent two seasons with San Francisco, both coming before the arrivals of Shanahan and Lynch. The former Baltimore Raven and two-time Super Bowl champion capped off his eight-year NFL career with one-year stints with the Philadelphia Eagles (2017) and Carolina Panthers (2018).