Fields: ‘Just going back to the QB Collective, I remember Coach Shanahan being a great coach’

Tuesday morning saw Alabama’s Mac Jones and Ohio State’s Justin Fields compete in their pro days. One of these was unlike the other. I’d describe how Jones threw the ball as “fine.” He got off to a rocky start where some of his throws died in the air, and his receivers had to wait on passes.

Fields missed a throw or two, but the “wow” factor was there, and that’s what you’re looking for at a pro day: the icing on the cake. Fields weighed 227 pounds and ran a 4.43 40-yard dash. He threw far-field out routes on a rope and ended his workout with a flurry of these:

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch were on-hand to see Jones but are scheduled to fly to Colombus this afternoon.

Fields said that he isn’t meeting with the 49ers personnel, but he’s honored to be getting attention from Kyle Shanahan, who Fields called one of the best/most talented football minds in the business:

“Just going back to the QB Collective, I remember coach Shanahan being a great coach, a great quarterback coach in terms of emphasizing keeping that base in the pocket.

He’s a great offensive-minded coach and arguably one of the best coaches in the league. It’s just an honor and a blessing to be in that position to be looked at by them, so I’m just grateful.”

Fields has been criticized for being a one-read quarterback. He addressed that question after his pro day:

We have some of the best receivers in the country, so if my first or second read is there, I’m not going to pass up that first or second read to get to third, fourth, fifth read to prove I can read past my first or second read.

The greatest quarterbacks of all-time know where their best matchup is. From Peyton Manning to Tom Brady, knowing where to go with the ball is imperative for a quarterback. It’s encouraging that Fields is aware of where his best matchups are.

Fields said that he’d happily throw again next month if the 49ers brass or anyone else wants to see him in person: “It really doesn’t just happen one time,” he tells me of not needing to stand on today. “I want to show I do the same thing every day.”

Ohio State’s head coach Ryan Day said that his favorite trait about Fields is his toughness during the NFL Network broadcast. As is the case with most quarterbacks, Fields is a fiery competitor: