After trading up to the No. 3 slot in next month’s NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers ensured themselves one of this year’s remaining “big five” rookie quarterbacks. The question that will be asked from now until April 29 is whether the choice will be Ohio State’s Justin Fields, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance or Alabama’s Mac Jones.
However, that discussion — as well as the Ohio State and Alabama pro days — was only a fraction of the prominent news around the league on Tuesday. According to ESPN, owners have now approved the expansion of the regular season to 17 games starting in 2021. For the 49ers, the change will add a road game against the Cincinnati Bengals this season, which the team formally announced on Twitter shortly after the news broke.
We’re headed back to the Buckeye State!
Unsurprisingly, the seemingly unrelated “Buckeye” reference quickly sent the Twitterverse into a frenzy.
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Fans Foresee Fields of Scarlet & Gold
In what was perceived as a subtle nod to the team potentially selecting Fields third overall next month (rather than a just a simple nod to Ohio’s state nickname), fans on Twitter ran with the idea as only they can. Here is just a sampling of the social media response.
@49ers Buckeye, huh?
@49ers context clues i like them
@49ers Y’all ain’t slick
All jokes aside, the 49ers last played in Cincinnati in Week 2 of the 2019 season, a dominating 41-17 win on the way to representing the NFC in Super Bowl LIV.
Fields Shines at Pro Day, Posts Blazing Fast 40-Time
Despite the scheduling change, Fields stole the show on Tuesday as he worked out in front of NFL scouts and executives at Ohio State’s official pro day. Despite Jones’ simultaneous showing at Alabama, Fields was the clear winner of the day, highlighted by a blazing fast 4.44-second 40-yard-dash time. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer later reported that at least one scout had the Buckeyes standout clocked even faster at 4.43 seconds.
Justin Fields. 4.43u SPEED. (via @movethesticks) @justnfields
📺: @OhioStateFB Pro Day on @nflnetwork
.@justnfields made his case today 🔥 @OhioStateFB
“I think overall I had a solid day,” Fields told reporters after his workout. “Of course, I think everybody knows my goal in that 40-yard-dash was at least to be in the 4.3s — I’m kind of mad about that. Other than that, I thought I threw pretty well. I thought I just had a few missed throws, but that happens. Everybody’s not going to be perfect. But overall, I thought I had a pretty solid day.”
40-yard dash times:
Justin Fields – 4.44 👀
Russell Wilson – 4.55
Cam Newton – 4.59
Jalen Hurts – 4.59
According to Breer, 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters, college scouting director Ethan Waugh and quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello were among the personnel in attendance. Meanwhile, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan were about 625 miles south in Tuscaloosa for Alabama’s pro day and an up-close look at Jones.
However, Shanahan acknowledged during Monday’s pre-draft press conference that he will attend Fields’ second pro day workout prior to April 29.
As far as Tuesday is concerned, one scout summed up Fields’ performance succinctly, telling The Draft Scout’s Matt Miller, “That was the best QB workout I’ve seen in a while.” ESPN’s Louis Riddick also had some strong praise for the 22-year-old, calling him a “super impressive young man” who is “going to be a star” with the right NFL staff around him.
In the context of what pro days are/ what they aren’t, Justin Fields was 🔥 today. Even more importantly, what I loved most was what his coaches said about Justin and where he is at in his development. With good #NFL staff, he is going to be a star. Super impressive young man.
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Chris Licata is an NFL contributor covering the San Francisco 49ers. Follow him on Twitter @Chris__Licata or join the Heavy on 49ers Facebook community for the latest out of the Bay Area!
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49ers Fans Erupt Over Team’s NFL Draft ‘Hint’ on Twitter