In a draft class filled with substantial quarterback talent, former Tide signal-caller Mac Jones finds himself in the mix of being taken very early on.
During Ohio State’s Pro Day on Wednesday, headlined by another top-talent quarterback in Justin Fields, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit shared his thoughts on Jones with national media.
Herbstreit called Jones a “surgeon” on Wednesday, describing what Jones can bring to an NFL offense despite not possessing the dual-threat skill set that several quarterbacks in the class have.
“If they change coverage at the snap of the ball, being able to instantly know where to go with the ball without any hesitation. That to me is the secret sauce of these guys that go to another level. How quickly they can read such complexity on the run.”
In an article posted by NBC Bay Area, Herbstreit also mentioned a conversation he had with former Alabama offensive coordinator, Steve Sarkisian, about how quickly Jones adapts to changes made weekly to the offense.
Alabama changed the offensive scheme changed after Tua Tagoviloa left, and Mac Jones stepped in. Despite the move from a more run-pass-option style of play to a “ground and pound” with Najee Harris and more play-action passes, which set up perfectly for Devuntae Smith, Jones never showed signs of confusion or slowing down.
“They adjusted things every week, they changed things around, and they were allowed to do that because of his ability to understand the offense,” says Herbstreit of Jones. “He was right there, ran aligned with Sark on everything he did. His accuracy on top of that with the ability to make quick decisions is just special. It’s the best way to describe it.”
According to the latest mock draft from Jonathan Jones from CBS Sports, Jones is projected to go third overall to the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers are all but certain to take a quarterback with their first-round pick, and Jones seems to fit head coach Kyle Shannahan’s scheme the best.