Mac Jones’ perfect pairing with the Patriots has New England back in the mix

Leading up to the 2021 NFL draft, few prospects generated more polarizing reactions than did Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.

Most draft analysts agreed that Jones had a fine 2020 season as he put up prolific numbers and helped lead the Crimson Tide to a national championship title.

However, there was a split when it came to NFL projections.

Some saw his limited experience – with only one full season as a college starter – as a detraction. They also had questions about how average arm strength and limited athleticism would serve Jones on the next level. Others looked at Jones’ accuracy and ability to deliver in high-pressure moments while directing a pro-style offense and projected him as one of the best prospects in the draft. And some believed Jones – thanks to the tutelage he received at Alabama – to be the most pro-ready passers in the draft. But they also felt Jones might not have as high a ceiling as some of his peers.

Mock drafts slotted Jones anywhere from No. 3 overall to somewhere in the mid teens.

Finally, draft day arrived and Jones went 15th overall to New England, with four other quarterbacks (Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Justin Fields) taken ahead of him.

Now seven months later, the positive projections, it turns out, were right. More than halfway through the NFL regular season, Jones has not only outshined every one of his quarterback classmates, but he has also played a key role in a resurgence that has the Patriots back in the mix of the contenders a year after Bill Belichick’s squad missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.

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