New England Patriots: Evaluating Mac Jones’s potential fit

For New England Patriots fans, the 2020 season was a snooze fest for the ages.

Cam Newton didn’t even come close to filling the gaping void left by Tom Brady, and there hasn’t been any indication that Newton will be returning in 2021. Jarrett Stidham is the only quarterback on the roster signed through at least the 2021 season, but he has done nothing to inspire any confidence about his future in the league as a starter.

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The Patriots still have options in the trade market, but so far there doesn’t appear to be any progress on that front. At this point, it seems likely that they will attempt to improve the quarterback position through the draft.

One name that has been generating buzz in New England is Mac Jones. Jones declared for the draft after a very impressive season at Alabama in which he helped the Crimson Tide win the National Championship.

Across 13 games in the 2020 season, Jones completed 77.4 percent of his passes, threw for 4,500 yards, and had 41 passing touchdowns to just four interceptions.

Those numbers are definitely impressive, but context is king. Jones was helped immensely by the talent around him, especially Heisman trophy winning wide receiver Devonta Smith and stud running back Najee Harris.

Smith and Harris are arguably the best players available at their respective positions in the 2021 draft. Alabama also had a great offensive line, as they usually do.

Add all that together and it’s easy to see why Jones had success, but giving all the credit to his supporting cast is too simple. Jones does have upside as a prospect as long as he is in the right situation.

Jones is mechanically sound, shows great poise and awareness in the pocket, and is very accurate. He’s much more of an “old school” quarterback, as he isn’t threatening anyone with his legs.

The only other real concern with Jones aside from a lack of mobility is arm strength. While he doesn’t have a noodle arm, he’s not going to be chucking it 70 yards either.

Should the New England Patriots draft Mac Jones?

Overall Jones is perhaps worth a first round pick, but he may be a reach where the Patriots select at pick 15. If the Patriots were to select him, it would be ideal if they did two things:

First, trade down and acquire more capital. The Patriots can realistically still draft Jones while moving back a few spots, but it depends on how the dominos fall with the picks ahead of them.

Second, and this should be obvious, the team needs to upgrade at wide receiver and tight end. If Jones goes from throwing to multiple projected first round picks in college to something similar to the trash heap that the Patriots deployed in the receiving corps last year, he is in for a rude awakening.

If those two things can happen, then drafting Jones is justifiable. There are definitely better quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, but they will all likely be gone before the Patriots are on the clock unless they trade up.

For a New England Patriots team that seems to be rebuilding, Jones could be a cornerstone under the tutelage of Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels and with good enough weapons around him.