Chicago Bears drastically improve offense in 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft
2021 NFL mock draft: Round 2, 52nd overall
Scouting Report. Alabama. player. 829. Pick Analysis. QB. Mac Jones. 2
Solid play against bad defenses down the stretch may have been enough to save Mitchell Trubisky’s job as the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears. However, with Trubisky becoming a free agent this offseason, the Bears will undoubtedly be looking far and wide for potential improvements at the position over the offseason.
In the second round of this 2021 NFL mock draft, the Bears find a potential solution to their quarterback issues by bringing Alabama’s Mac Jones into the mix. Jones is an extremely smart quarterback who sees the field well, senses pressure in the pocket at a high level and shows impressive accuracy to all levels of the field.
Prior to the season, many looked at Jones as nothing more than a solid game manager. However, he showed the ability to push the ball down the field with consistency this season. Jones shows good natural arm talent, hitting throws deep down the field with pinpoint accuracy and fitting the ball into tight spaces with velocity when needed. Jones undoubtedly has an NFL-caliber arm and can hit any throw on the field with accuracy.
The main knock in Jones’ game is his lack of mobility. In today’s NFL, quarterbacks who can get out and move are able to make a more consistent impact than guys who are stuck in the pocket. Even if a quarterback does not pile up a ton of yards with his legs, simply being able to extend the play by escaping the pocket is incredibly valuable. Jones simply does not have the ability to do this well.
He is smart in the pocket and can maneuver a bit to create some extra time but his lack of mobility is a concern. Will it significantly hold him back at the next level? That remains to be seen. But this lack of mobility does likely lower his floor as an NFL quarterback.
Taking a quarterback in the second round is never ideal. The Bears are not getting one of the premier quarterback prospects in this draft class. However, completely ignoring the position this offseason seems insane and there is a lot to like about Jones’ game. If he does not work out, so be it, but taking this shot would undoubtedly be worth the investment for such a quarterback-needy team.