Mac Jones’ NFL Draft: Everything You Need To Know

Mac Jones is the current starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. The youngster took over as the starting quarterback for the Patriots since his rookie season. He made it to the All-Rookie Team in 2021 along with a Pro-Bowl appearance too. Here is a look back at Jones’ Draft pick.

Mac Jones Draft: Year, Date, Round and Pick Number


Draft YearRoundPick NumberNFL TeamPositionCollegeConference (College)
2021115New England PatriotsQuarterbackUniversity of Alabama South Eastern Conference (SEC)

Jones came to the 2021 NFL Draft after helping the Alabama Crimson Tides to a National Championship. He was one of the best quarterbacks to enter the 2021 NFL Draft. Jones set the NCAA season records for passer rating and completion percentage as a junior at Alabama.

Grading Mac Jones’ NFL Draft


After Tom Brady, it looks like the Patriots have again got lucky with a quarterback pick from the Draft. Mac Jones has fir the New England Patriots system like a glove. He transitioned to a starter in his rookie season and even helped the Patriots to the playoffs. Mac Jones led the league in passing yards (3801), touchdown passes (22), and passing completion percentage (67.6) among rookies. Jones’ rookie season performance puts him as an ‘A’ grade draft, who can lead the Patriots to successful seasons.

Mac Jones Draft photo: How old was Mac Jones when he went to the NFL?


Jones was 22 when he declared for the 2021 NFL Draft. He was pick number 15 of the Draft and it was predicted that he would be picked by the San Francisco 49ers. Jones was a highly rated quarterback prospect and the fourth out of six Alabama players to be drafted in the First Round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Mac Jones’ Draft Bio and Profile

NFL scouts prepare reports that contain the history and analysis of Draft prospects. These analyses are made after taking a close look at college performances and NFL Combine reports. Players are graded according to their prospect of being an NFL player. Jones had a prospect grading of 6.33 (potential to become a good starter within 2 seasons). However, he already proved the scouts wrong. Here is a summary of Jones’ NFL Draft Bio.

Mac JonesQuarterback, University of Alabama. 6 ft. 3 inches, 217 pounds
SummaryComing of an eye-catching season with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Became a starter in 2020 and played all 13 games. He set an FBS record for single-season completion percentage (311 of 402, 77.4%) and led the country with a school record of 4,500 passing yards while ranking second with 41 passing TDs and 11.2 yards per attempt. Has the potential to become a backup or a low-end starter in the NFL.
PositivesShowed steady improvement as a quarterback from 2019 to 2020. Does not take unnecessary passing chances. Ball placement and accuracy stand out. Perfect placement of ball for receivers and willing to get rid of the ball rather than losing it or making a wrong pass. Can elude players if he starts to run.
NegativesThin lower body and struggles to fight rush contact. Average release quickness and leaves his back behind on follow through. Does not possess a certain poise and gets antsy when reads do not come together. Panics in the face of pressure. Requires more grit to make it in the NFL.
Pro Day Stats40 Yard Dash: 4.82 seconds, 20 Yard Split: 2.76 seconds, 10 Yard Split: 1.70 seconds, Three-Cone Drill: 7.04 seconds, Vertical Leap: 32 inches, Broad Jump: 9 feet 8 inches & 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.39 seconds

How many quarterbacks were chosen before Mac Jones?

Jones was the fifth quarterback to be selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 2021 Draft had a total of five quarterback drafts in the First Round (one of the highest in NFL Draft history). Mac Jones has become the most successful rookie quarterback from the 2021 class. Here is a look at the quarterbacks selected before Jones in the Draft:

  1. Trevor Lawrence


Trevor Lawrence was the first overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. The physically gifted quarterback entered the Draft as the highest-rated prospect. He became the starter for Jacksonville Jaguars although his rookie season has been underwhelming compared to expectations.

  1. Zach Wilson


Wilson was the overall number 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Jets drafted the quarterback and he played 13 games in his rookie season, competing with Mike White and Joe Flacco.

  1. Trey Lance


Pick number 3 in the 2021 Draft was Trey Lance. Lance is a future starter prospect for the 49ers and he spent his rookie season as a backup to Jimmy Garoppolo. He played 6 games in his rookie season and completed 603 passing yards and 5 passing touchdowns.

  1. Justin Fields


Fields was overall pick number 11 of the Draft. The dual-threat quarterback was drafted by the Chicago Bears. He played 12 games in his first season and finished the season fifth in quarterback rushing yards (420).


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Who was the #1 Pick In The NFL When Mac Jones Got Drafted?


The first overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft was Trevor Lawrence. The current Jacksonville Jaguars was the highest-rated quarterback prospect in the draft. He signed a four-year rookie contract with the team and took over as the starting quarterback. He finished his rookie season with 3641 passing yards and 12 passing touchdowns. Trevor Lawrence needs to improve his game to live up to the rating he received before his NFL Draft.

Who was Patriots QB before Jones?


Mac Jones replaced Cam Newton as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. Newton was the Patriots quarterback for only one season (2020) post the departure of Tom Brady. He completed 2657 passing yards with the New England Patriots and maintained a passer rating of 82.9. Newton holds the record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in NFL history (75).

Who was the quarterback before Mac Jones at Alabama?


Jones replaced current Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as the quarterback at Alabama. Tagovailoa spent two seasons as the starting quarterback for Alabama after spending his freshman year as a backup quarterback. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Dolphins and spent his rookie season as a backup to Ryan Fitzpatrick. He is currently the starter for Miami Dolphins.