Trey Lance Shows off Throwing Ability at NDSU Pro Day Ahead of 2021 NFL Draft

Rob Goldberg @TheRobGoldbergFeatured ColumnistMarch 12, 2021

North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance scrambles against Central Arkansas in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Fargo, N.D. North Dakota State won 39-28. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

Potential 2021 first-round draft pick Trey Lance showcased his talent Friday at North Dakota State's pro day.

The quarterback threw to receivers and especially turned heads with his arm strength on both long and short throws:

NFL @NFL
Trey Lance is showing off his arm strength at @NDSUFootball Pro Day 💪 @treylance09 📺: @nflnetwork https://t.co/Ki2y5qOWeJ

NFL Network @nflnetwork
"You can see the ball jumps out of his hand." - @MoveTheSticks @treylance09 | @NDSUfootball 📺: Path to the Draft Pro Day Special https://t.co/PbGJx9NWSj

It wasn't a perfect day for Lance, but scouts were generally impressed with what was on display Friday:

Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafolo
During our @nflnetwork coverage of Trey Lance's pro day, @MoveTheSticks says he got a text from a longtime NFL evaluator who compared Lance to Josh Allen. DJ: "He is dripping with ability ... Nitpick him all you want, but this guy that can make some special, special throws."

Lance Zierlein @LanceZierlein
Trey Lance has some placement issues at times and he's not always pinpoint, but his arm looked very lively, the footwork and on-platform throws were both good and he was impressive on the hoof. Throwing with timing and deep balls can obviously get a little better, but good day.

Jonathan Jones @jjones9
This is a pretty great pro day for Trey Lance. Ball rockets out of his hand

Adam Hoge @AdamHoge
In general, QBs should look nearly flawless at their pro day. Trey Lance missed more throws than he should have. But it also looked like they were challenging him more than you usually see at pro days and Lance dropped some absolute dimes. Nothing changed for me. He's good.

According to Chase Goodbread of NFL.com, 30 teams were in attendance, including nine general managers. Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady were also on hand to watch the quarterback.

Lance is a unique prospect who had few opportunities to showcase his ability over the past year. The COVID-19 pandemic limited the quarterback to just one game in 2020 before he declared for the draft.

He was outstanding in 2019, with 28 touchdown passes, 14 rushing touchdowns and zero interceptions to get on the radar of NFL scouts.

Friday provided an opportunity for teams to get an even better look at his tools as well as accurate measurements for the prospect:

Jim Nagy @JimNagy_SB
Verified pro-day measurements for North Dakota State QB Trey Lance: HT: 6037 WT: 224 Hand: 9 1/8 Arm: 31 1/2 Wing: 76 3/4

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski projected Lance to be taken fourth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in his latest mock draft.