Next month will mark half a decade since the 49ers made the defining draft mistake of the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era.
The decision to trade three first-round picks to move up from 12th to third in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and select quarterback Trey Lance proved a gigantic misstep, one that would often cost a GM and head coach their jobs.
Brock Purdy’s stunning rise ensured that was not the case but, had Lance panned out as the 49ers’ starting quarterback, there could be the possibility this year of him throwing passes to his younger brother Bryce for San Francisco.
Bryce Lance has entered the 2026 draft as a wide receiver after starring at North Dakota State, making his name with the Bison as his brother did.
His presence in this class presents an intriguing opportunity to Lynch, who once said the following about Bryce when speaking about Trey in 2021.
“All I could think about was that I wanted to draft his brother,” Lynch said. “His brother’s a senior in high school following in his footsteps at North Dakota State. I think he’s taller than Trey.”
Lynch’s comments were obviously tongue-in-cheek, but they have come more into focus in the wake of Bryce Lance’s efforts at the Combine last week.
The 6ft 3in wideout, who weighed in at 204 pounds, blazed down the track to post a 40 time of 4.34 seconds. Also excelling in the vertical and broad jumps, Lance posted an unofficial Relative Athletic Score of 9.95 out of 10.
Simply put, Lance boasts the kind of speed that has been clearly lacking from the 49er wideout room in recent times, with Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins seeing extremely limited playing time after being drafted in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
With his size, Lance projects as the archetypal X receiver at the next level. That is a position where the 49ers have a clear need with the impending departure of Brandon Aiyuk, and it would be understandable if San Francisco is intrigued by Lance’s play at the catch point. Lance had a contested catch rate of 66.7% in 2025 for the Bison, per Pro Football Focus, indicating that he has the potential to blossom into a ball-dominant receiver who can excel at producing big plays.
Still, it cannot be ignored that Lance’s production came at the FCS level. Given the 49ers’ need for immediate contributors at the position, it would be a surprise if their only move in the draft at receiver was to spend a day two or day-three pick on his services.
Any pick of Lance by the 49ers feels likely to be a supplementary move made in addition to the acquisition of another player at the spot. It must also be remembered that Shanahan is the man who would undoubtedly have final say on any picks spent on a position he used to play. However, following Lance’s performance in Indianapolis, the odds of Lynch getting the chance to make good on his joke of five years ago, appear to have at least improved.
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