Trey Lance is a very enticing prospect coming out of North Dakota State who boasts elite athleticism and literally did not throw a single interception in the 2019 season. In his single season as a starter, Lance showcased his athleticism and ability as a passer, posting 2,786 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 0 interceptions to pair with 1,100 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground. Measuring in at 6’3 7/8” and 224 pounds at his North Dakota State pro day, he’s got a solid frame and more excitingly, he’s got the agility of someone smaller.
Scouting Report
The focal point of any scouting report on Lance needs to be his elite athleticism. He has a strong arm and can hit the deep ball, but most notably, his ability to make plays with his legs is unmatched in this class. It sounds cliche, but his tape is reminiscent of Lamar Jackson’s, particularly in regard to his slippery nature and ability to avoid tackles.
It’s difficult to find a downside for Trey Lance based on the body of work that we’ve seen so far. However, therein lies the knock — the body of work is quite small. Lance has attempted a total of just 318 passes at the college level and has just one full season as a starter under his belt. Playing at North Dakota State, Lance faced FCS competition — a major difference from what he’ll be seeing while facing NFL coverage.
Mock Draft landing spots
Trey Lance is one of the three quarterbacks we keep seeing in rotation as contenders for the No. 3 or No. 4 overall pick. In Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent mock draft, Lance went at No. 4 to the Falcons, while Todd McShay most recently had him going to the Carolina Panthers, though that may4/26/21 be nixed now that they’ve acquired Sam Darnold from the New York Jets.
Fantasy impact: Rookie year
The biggest concern regarding Lance’s potential as a fantasy asset in his rookie season is going to be whether or not he enters the 2021 season in a starting role. Lance played just one game in 2020 due to the FCS spring schedule, so the last time he played through a season was 2019. His lack of overall experience paired with his lack of recent game reps does leave enough to wonder if he’ll spend a season working as a backup as he continues to make his transition to the NFL.
Fantasy impact: Career
Trey Lance feels like the quarterback in this class with the potential for the highest ceiling, and conversely, a pretty low floor. If Lance is drafted into an offense that is willing to build around his athleticism and use him as a designed runner as he continues to develop as a passer, we could be looking at a perennial QB1. If he’s drafted to an offense that’s more intensely focused on his development as a passer, we could see any range of outcome.