Former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones had quite a final college season. He paid no mind to the preseason expectations and will now enter the 2021 NFL draft as a national champion and a Heisman finalist.
Despite Jones being the quarterback to lead Alabama to national title No. 18, he’s far from being considered the best in the class. In fact, the ongoing debate is about whether he is good enough to be considered ‘QB3.’
ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper projects Jones to be drafted No. 3 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in his latest 2021 NFL mock draft.
There seems to be no doubt Jones is worthy of being selected in the earlier half of the first round. Analysts and fans have spoken out regarding his rumored connection to the 49ers at No. 3. especially since San Francisco made quite a bold trade to move up from No. 12.
Is Jones the guy they wanted so badly, or is the front office still unsure?
“It’s hard to ignore the Jones-to-San Francisco buzz within the league. Every sign two weeks out from the draft points to general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan being infatuated with Jones,” writes Kiper. “I think he’s the quarterback they traded up nine spots to take. Is he the perfect fit for Shanahan’s offense? Only time will tell. Jones is my fourth-ranked quarterback and is No. 12 on my Big Board, and I’m not sure I see a superstar when I watch him on tape. He’s solid — and extremely accurate — but not spectacular. Lynch and Shanahan are obviously taking the long view here, and this decision is going to be discussed and debated for years.”