Marshall, MN native Trey Lance drafted #3 overall by San Francisco
North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, right, holds a jersey with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the San Francisco 49ers with the third pick in the first round of the NFL football draft Thursday April 29, 2021, in Cleveland.[ (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)]
The San Francisco 49ers have picked their franchise quarterback of the future, taking Marshall, MN-native and former North Dakota State Bison Trey Lance with the third pick in the NFL draft.
After trading the 12th pick, two future first-round picks and a 2022 third-rounder to Miami for the No. 3 selection last month, coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch decided on Lance as the eventual successor to the oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo.
Lance started only 17 games at FCS-level North Dakota State but possesses all the physical tools necessary to succeed in the modern NFL.
Lance took over as the starting quarterback in the second half of his sophomore year at Marshall High School, and held the role for the following two seasons.
After a redshirt year at North Dakota State, Lance took over as the #1 quarterback at NDSU and led the Bison to a 16-0 season that culminated in a national FCS title. In the championship season, Lance threw 28 touchdowns without a single interception. He also ran for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Lance played one game in the truncated 2020 season before opting out to focus on preparations for the NFL Draft.