Trey Lance is one of the most intriguing draft picks heading into Thursday's opening round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The North Dakota State product could come off the board as high as pick No. 3 to San Francisco or fall down the board into the bottom of the top 10. Questions about the lack of competition and starting just 17 games in college continue to circle, but few question the talent Lance possesses from a big arm to mental processing.
Joining NFL Network's Good Morning Football on Tuesday, Lance said he believes he can become the best QB in a star-studded draft class that includes Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Mac Jones.
"I'm confident in myself, and I believe in myself," he said. "I think I have the potential to be the best quarterback in this class. I understand obviously there's gonna be a lot of learning to do, and I think, like I said, just as far as this quarterback class, I want them all to do well. I'm excited to see what they do and rooting for them all the same."
Before we move on, it should be noted that every player should believe he can be the best at his job. If not, he won't make it long in the NFL. Let's not blow up Lance's confidence into more than it is: an athlete verbalizing his inner self-assurance, which has carried him this far.
Lance hasn't had any indication on where he could go. He set up a second pro day to give San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan a close look. If he's on the board at No. 4, the Falcons could take him to groom behind Matt Ryan. If he slides, a number of QB-needy clubs could jump into the end of the top 10 to draft him.
"I'm excited. I'm super excited," Lance said of Thursday's uncertainty. "I don't know where I'm gonna be at. Obviously, I've watched a ton of tape, 49ers, Falcons, whatever it is, football, in general. But like I said, I'm excited to find out where I'm going to be. I think I'm going to be able to learn any offense that I'm put into, any system I'm put into, and find a way to be successful. I'm just looking forward to it. Don't know where it's gonna be. I'm wishing I knew just as much as you guys if not more. But I'm looking forward to it coming up soon."
The questions regarding the lack of experience and facing a lower level of competition at NDSU motivate the young signal-caller who wasn't highly recruited as a QB coming out of high school. Lance wasn't shy about the chip on his shoulder, thanks to those doubters.
"Hearing those for me is honestly exciting," he said. "I get to prove people wrong again. So that's what I'll continue to do and I want to continue to do. So definitely excited to be able to prove people wrong and come in and be ready to go whenever the situation is, whenever the coach best sees fit. I think for me people are talking about a little bit about my preparation in the media. Unfortunately, I don't pay attention a whole lot to what you guys say often. No disrespect at all, but obviously, with what I'm trying to do, I'm trying to focus on myself a little bit. The project TV label is definitely a thing, and I think whether it's playing FCS football or whatever, I think Carson (Wentz) is a great example of someone who came in from FCS football, level of competition and all those things that people talked about with him, he came in and played really, really well as a rookie. So I think that's a huge thing for me and my process."
The team that peers through the question marks to see a confident QB with superb mental acumen and physical talents will select a franchise cornerstone Thursday night.
Want to create your own mock for the 2021 NFL Draft? Check outPFF's draft simulatorto play out countless scenarios for every team spanning all seven rounds.
