Mac Jones can significantly boost 2021 NFL Draft stock at Senior Bowl

While Mac Jones is extremely unlikely to enter the mix as one of the top four quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft class, he is considered by most to be QB5. Jones is coming off of an incredible season at Alabama, where he led one of the best offenses in college football history and helped the Crimson Tide dominate on their way to a National Championship.

As great as Jones was, there are certainly some questions about his ability to translate to the next level. That being said, Jones has a great chance to quiet some of those questions at the Senior Bowl next week.

Jones’ inclusion on the Senior Bowl roster was announced on Tuesday and he will undoubtedly be one of the most interesting players to watch throughout the week at Mobile. Jones will suit up for the American squad at the Senior Bowl and will be coached by the Carolina Panthers’ coaching staff.

This pairing in Mobile is interesting because the Panthers have an obvious long-term need at the quarterback position. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and his staff will be getting a long look at Jones throughout the week and that could be big for his 2021 NFL Draft stock. While it is unlikely that the Panthers will take Jones with the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, he can impress enough to make it an interesting decision for the team.

Jones is an extremely smart and accurate passer who rarely makes a mistake on the field. He does a great job of working through his options, finding the open receiver and hitting him in stride. Jones does not have the greatest arm in the class but he showed the ability to push the ball down the field well this season. He has enough arm strength to compete at the next level.

The biggest knock on Jones’ game will be his lack of mobility. He is a traditional pocket passer who likes to stand tall in the pocket and rip the ball around the field. He shows good pocket awareness but simply does not have the speed and athleticism to make many plays with his legs.

It is more difficult for pocket passers who lack mobility to be successful in the modern NFL and that likely limits Jones’ upside at the next level. This is not to say he has no chance to have success but his margin of error is smaller than dual-threat quarterback prospects.

All of that being said, Jones can boost his 2021 NFL Draft stock in a big way with a strong week of practices and a good showing in the Senior Bowl game. Can he step up and solidify himself as a first-round prospect? Only time will tell.