The Chicago Bears are going to draft a quarterback in the 2021 NFL draft. And there’s a good chance they’ll do it in the first round, assuming their losing streak continues and they end up with a pick in or around the top 10.
They currently hold the 13th overall pick.
With Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields certain to come off the board in the first three picks, the question Bears fans have been asking is which, if any, quarterback will be available for Chicago when their pick comes around.
According to a recent breakdown of one 2021 draft target for every team, the Bears should zero in on Alabama quarterback, Mac Jones.
Fortunately, Mac Jones is showing he is worthy of first-round consideration at Alabama this season. When you watch Jones play, he approaches the position with the savvy and nuance of a player much more experienced than he is.
Jones might not get as much credit as his fellow passers in the class because he’s playing with the most talented group of receivers in the country. However, that discounts all of the traits he’s shown in getting them the ball with an opportunity to make plays.
Even if the Bears are the last team to take a quarterback in the first round, Jones would give them someone to get excited about.
Jones may not be the first quarterback on Bears fans’ wishlists, but he’s having an incredibly productive season. Jones is completing 76% of his passes and has 27 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He’s arguably playing better than Tua Tagovailoa did for the Crimson Tide, and Tua ended up being picked fifth overall by the Miami Dolphins in 2020.
No, I’m not saying Jones is the same caliber prospect that Tagovailoa was, but his production can’t be ignored. He’s playing like a well-coached leader who has the kind of arm talent needed to succeed in the pros.
At this point, beggars can’t be choosers. The Bears are desperate for a new quarterback, and whether it’s Jones or any of the other potential first-round prospects in this year’s class, Chicago has no choice but to swing on one of them in the first round.