Ideal first round landing spots for Alabama quarterback Mac Jones

Coming off of an impressive performance in the National Championship game, Alabama quarterback Mac Jones should get first-round looks.

In a year where six of the league’s fourteen playoffs could be looking for a young quarterback, Alabama’s Mac Jones could be the answer.

It wouldn’t be a shocker if Jones came into the league as a project quarterback backing up a proven veteran. This would also be a best-case scenario for the Johnny Unitas Award winner for best college quarterback in the 2020 season.

Jones would also not be a stranger to being a backup, in his first three seasons at Alabama, the Florida native sat behind both Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. Both would be drafted in the 2020 NFL draft as Hurts would get selected in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles and Tagovailoa would go fifth-overall to the Miami Dolphins.

Jones took advantage of his starting opportunity and would fully place himself in the first-round conversation. While he is not close to the top four quarterbacks, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, and Trey Lance, he and Kyle Trask are both on the edge of low first, high second-round grades.

So, what teams could benefit from Jones’ skill set? Let’s take a look.

New England Patriots 

15th overall pick

Let’s start with the one that is the most unlikely due to draft position.

With the 15th pick in the draft, the Pats are more than likely to go Lance than Jones, if Lance remains on the board.

However, the Pats could trade back, a Bill Belichick special, and then take Jones. As a pocket quarterback, Mac Jones looks much more favorable to the play style of Tom Brady than Cam Newton.

This season, the Patriots’ offense regressed heavily, having a lack of quarterback talent, Newton rushed for more touchdowns than he threw this season, and a lack of weapons.

It would be shocking if the Pats would throw a rookie quarterback into the fray like that, but the relationship between the Pats head coach and Alabama head coach Nick Saban is one that could play a big role here.

Mac Jones would be an immediate fit in Josh McDaniels offense, but the team would still need to add offensive playmakers if they want to succeed on that side of the ball.