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Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots selected Mac Jones with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft with hopes that the former Alabama quarterback will be the team's long-term signal-caller.
The Patriots have been floundering at the QB position since Tom Brady moved down south to Tampa Bay. Former NFL MVP Cam Newton was signed in hopes that he could be a good bridge quarterback before the team's ideal choice came around. Newton had a subpar 7-8 record and put up the worst stats of his career.
The Patriots are still a championship-caliber team with the right QB and the team seems to have pinned their future on Jones. Alabama has produced some great NFL quarterbacks over the last few years after decades of draft busts.
If he beats out Cam Newton, Mac Jones will become the third Alabama QB to start in the NFL this year (Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa). More than a handful of scouts were skeptical about Mac Jones being selected early in the 2021 draft. He's not the most athletic QB, possesses average arm strength, and lacks true mobility.
So the question arises, why did the New England Patriots decided to put their future in the hands of a rather average QB like Mac Jones?
Reasons Mac Jones Has The Trust of New England
#1 - Minimal Errors
Mac Jones doesn't have a large sample size from college to go off on, but he made hardly any mistakes in 24 games (17 starts).
In 2020, Jones played a full season and led the NCAA in completions and passing yards. He also set NCAA records for the highest completion percentage in a season (77.4) and quarterback rating in a season (203.1). Jones threw 41 touchdowns with just four interceptions.
His interceptions were low due to his timing and accuracy. He makes up for his lack of arm strength with the ability to float the ball into tight windows. A mix of pure accuracy and route timing helps hide his flaws.
The biggest takeaway from his short stint as a starter was how quickly he commanded the locker room and took control of the offense on the field. Even when Mac Jones took over for the injured Tua Tagovailoa late in 2019 Jones had the respect and full attention of his team.
With some Patriots not fully behind Cam Newton leading the offense, Jones' arrival can hopefully repair locker room morale.
#2 - New England's scheme is similar to Alabama's
An NFL draft analyst once labeled Mac Jones as needing three Ps in the NFL to be successful and be worth a top draft pick: playmakers, playcalling, and protection.
Simply put, Jones' talent as a passer won't be enough for him to make strides in the league. Alabama is one of the most prestigious football schools and always seems to have a talented roster from QB to long snapper. The New England Patriots are a very similar franchise.
Playmakers
At Alabama, Mac Jones had receivers like Heisman winner DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy. Najee Harris was a reliable RB he could rely on. If Jones overthrew a pass, his receivers could make up the ground and still make him look good by completing the catch. Jones can thread the needle when needed, but his receivers usually got themselves open for the pass.
Take a look at the New England Patriots depth chart. Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor are the top receivers but not as talented as you would hope. The Patriots' playmakers are usually their TEs and RBs. Jones gets two top-tier TEs in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith once they're healthy.
There is a committee of RBs in the backfield that can contribute well in the passing game and provide adequate backup with the run game. Bill Belichick's prime goal next offseason should be to get a WR1 for his young QB. Until then, Mac Jones can still make productive stars out of this band of misfits with his timing and getting the ball to his target as they get open on the route.
Playcalling
Nick Saban was used to a mobile dual-threat at QB for years before Mac Jones ended up as his starter. Jones can maneuver out of the pocket to make a play but won't take off immediately when the pocket collapses. Saban's playcalling played to Jones' strengths and the playmakers around him. The intricate routes allowed Jones to focus on one part of the defense.
New England's 2020 scheme differs from what Jones is used to but he seems to be catching on through training camp. He's used to play-action passes and check-downs to RB/TE.
Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels are familiar with pocket-passers and expect the offense to be similar to what it was in 2018/2019. Cam Newton just doesn't seem to fit the scheme in New England, where it is hard to improvise as a runner.
Protection
Three of Mac Jones' offensive linemen from 2020 were drafted this year: Alex Leatherwood 17th overall, Landon Dickerson in the second round and Deonte Brown in the sixth. Mac Jones was sacked just 13 times (sixth-fewest among QBs with at least 300 pass attempts). Part of Mac's success came from ample time in the pocket and rarely having to step out of the pocket due to pressure.
New England is known for having elite offensive lines and having highly-graded linemen each year. LT Isaish Wynn had the 11th-best grade among all tackles. RT Michael Onwenu was the highest-graded rookie lineman last year and RG Shaq Mason is one of the elite run blockers in the game.
The reason Cam Newton was sacked 37 times last year was more of his own undoing and not the line's fault. With a more traditional pocket QB on the team again, Mac Jones should have plenty of time to make a play. An additional benefit is Jones' was the best QB in the draft class under pressure/blitzed.
Conclusion on Mac Jones
So why did the Patriots hedge their future on a guy that looks like a body double for Tom Brady's draft photo? He's more like Brady outside of a "Freshman 15" body coming out of college.
The reason for the Patriots' downfall last year could be linked to Cam Newton being a fish out of water. Mac Jones has a smaller arm than Brady but is an elite field general. Tom Brady didn't always have a stellar group of receivers and still found success.
Mac Jones might be even better than Brady with his timing and accuracy. Both are safe with the ball and have impeccable mental processing on the field. It'll still be a learning curve for Mac Jones but Cam Newton should absolutely not win this camp competition.
Jones will only get better by going through the motions and learning on the job. His rookie year might not win him Rookie of the Year nominations, but Peyton Manning led the league in INTs as a rookie. Think of 2021 as a year for the coaches to get a look at their roster around Jones and what they can do to improve and be better equipped for the future. Believe in Mac Jones being the centerpiece for New England.
