Prior to the 49ers’ trade that vaulted them from No. 12 to No. 3 in this year’s first round, Mac Jones was mocked by some to fall out of the top 10. Scouts Inc. rates the Alabama prospect 19th overall. But the noise surrounding the one-year Crimson Tide starter going in the top five has not quieted.
The 49ers are likely to select Jones with this year’s No. 3 pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com said during an ESPN radio interview Tuesday (Twitter link). When asked about the 49ers’ likely choice, the longtime NFL insider quickly indicated it will be Jones.
Shortly after the 49ers made the trade with the Dolphins, Kyle Shanahan said he was comfortable three of the top five quarterback prospects in this year’s draft being the team’s long-term answer. While the fifth-year 49ers HC added that he could reach a stronger comfort level with the other two, only three received his immediate approval stamp. It is obviously uncertain which quarterbacks fall into which category, but it should be assumed the 49ers reached a consensus before trading up.
The 49ers are considering Jones, and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN.com’s Todd McShay have mocked Tua Tagovailoa‘s Tuscaloosa successor to San Francisco. When Jones and Justin Fields were pro day participants on the same day last week, Shanahan and John Lynch trekked to Alabama to watch Jones. Fields and Trey Lance are considering staging second pro days to throw for Shanahan, Lynch and Co., but the Jones-to-San Francisco buzz has been building for several days now.
Although Jones is the least mobile of this year’s top QB prospects, he piloted another dominant Alabama team to an unbeaten season and a national championship. The 6-foot-2, 217-pound quarterback threw 41 touchdown passes, compared to four interceptions, and averaged 11.2 yards per attempt. He received the same advantages Tagovailoa did, in throwing to multiple first-round receiver talents. Both those wideouts — DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle — said they preferred Jones to Tua.
Shanahan and Lynch insisted Jimmy Garoppolo remains in the team’s plans for 2021, though the 49ers do not appear completely against trading their current starter. They are likelier to move on from Garoppolo in 2022, after giving Jones a year to develop in a backup role, Schefter adds. This reality unfolding would represent a remarkable rise for Jones, but as the likes of Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield and Carson Wentz have shown in recent years, late QB value ascents are certainly not shocking.
Guessed they didn’t watch much of Tua’s game either. Really easy to look good w/ 10 other players going pro going against D’s with maybe 2-3 (on a great SEC D)
Haha right, Tua is a busted, Jones is a busted. Bama never has good QBs. Well they don’t make it in the NFL.
Hate on Tua’s rookie year all you want but the guy was coming off of a scary near career ending injury and had no off season.
They are overpaying for Mitchell Trubisky 2.0.
While that may be true, Mac would at least have the advantage of not going to the Bears.
Curious as to why people hate on Jones so much more so than burrow. Their college careers look pretty similar to me.
Both essentially 1 year wonders. Great supporting cast, won nattys. By all accounts both great leaders/loved by teammates. Yeah Burrow won the Heisman but Jones wasn’t far off.
Because you know, the thing
Jones threw for 41 TDs and 4,500 yards…Burrow threw for 60 TDs and 5671 yards. That’s pretty far off.
Jones numbers would’ve still been short, but Burrow did have 2 more games than him against cupcakes.
Burrow played 2 more total games. 3 were non-SEC, 2 being non P5 .. & played Vandy lol
Jones played entirely SEC schedule plus the 2 playoff games. No Vandy plus reg season Georgia. So you can make an argument their schedule was much tougher. I’d say their stats are actually pretty comparable when you take everything into account.
And I read someone saying that Jones only played against SEC Dedenses with 2 pro-level players….
Wellllll, if you take UGA’s Defense, then they’re going to have ALOT MORE than 2-3 pro guys.
The team Mac Jones faced last season had the following guys that are likely to be drafted
2021 Draft: Azeez Ojulari, Tyson Cambell, Eric Stokes, Richard LeCounte, DJ Daniel, Monty Rice, Malik Herring (especially if he hadn’t torn his ACL during Senior Bowl)
2022 Draft: Jordan Davis, Travon Walker, Adam Anderson, Nakobe Dean, Nolan Smith, Lewis Cine, Devonte Wyatt…
And those aren’t even including the talented freshman that will ceetainly get drafted he faced against them either. That is only counting the 12 or so LOCKS that will definitely get drafted, and about half of those in AT LEAST the first 3 rounds…!!! Plus, he also faced an OLB J.Johnson who transferred out down South, that don’t be surprised if he racks up some strong sack numbers for them this year, and ends up getting drafted in round 3 or so..
Personally, I want the 49ers to take Justin Fields, but I just had to correct the previous comment, because it was just factually incorrect..
Sorry, but I gotta stick up for my Dawgs!! lol
You don’t give up that much draft capital for Mac Jones. The media is being played. Mac Jones isn’t even that good. He had two of the top 3 receivers in the NCAA and the best offensive line. A lot of guys are really accurate when you have all day to throw the ball. The position of quarterback is changing rapidly. NFL offenses are starting to mirror college offenses which means “dual threat” quarterbacks are going to be a premium. You can move the chains with a QB who can run and moving the chains means you can keep Mahomes and Rodgers on the bench if you don’t have the Tampa defense to shut them down. I think SF is feeding Schefter bogus info.
That means that Joe Burrow won’t be good for the Bengals then.
Cincy should draft someone to compete with him.
I mean I get your point, but burrow also had the Biletnikoff winner and another 1st rounder who almost won ROY plus a great Oline as well. Also Waddle missed half the year. How are their situations so much different? Not sure how high you are on burrow.
I don’t disagree about dual threats but pocket passers with functional mobility are able to win in the NFL.
Burrow had the best receiving threat of them all in Chase.
If this report is true — and if we believe what’s coming out of Atlanta about the Falcons drafting a QB at #4 — the top 4 picks would be QBs…mercy!
Atlanta will trade back. Coach will get his wish and roll with Ryan.
It’s because of the positional weakness for edge rushers and defensive tackles in this draft. No Bosa or Young or William’s type. Best D is a corner or LB. And while there is a very good TE, they never go 1-5. And WRs havent been going Top-5. Lawrence is #1 regardless. Sewell the best tackle is blocked at the position in NYJ, SFG/Hou, and wouldn’t come off the board until 4 or 5 anyway. So yea… You have 3 def QB needy teams and if the Falcons draft one or trade the pick you could have 4 go until the Bengals at 5 take Sewell.
I think there trying to bate a few of their former colleagues on the jets into passing on Wilson so they can get him
How would this report effect the Jets’ plans? Serious inquiry, I don’t mean to sound pompous but I’m just failing to see the reasoning behind that.
Not buying it. At all! They leak nothing and give the media nothing to go off unless they want something leaked. Highly doubt anyone knows anything and are strictly guessing because they think Jones is the closest to Matt Ryan and Cousins. Don’t see them passing on Fields for Jones at all
Totally agree. Shanahan drafted RG3 ahead of Cousins for a reason. He likes a qb that can bootleg and get out of the pocket. Jones has limited mobility. Fields and Wilson make the most sense for them at 3.
I heard otherwise I heard Kyle never was a fan of RGIII and like cousins over RGIII. There was a reason they drafted two QBs
If Kyle like RGIII why was kap toss ? There was also rumors Kyle wanted jimmy g if could of over Johnny boy when he coach the browns .
Agreed. There was a report that surfaced yesterday that said Kyle’s assistant’s didn’t even have the scouting reports on the top passers in the draft yet. That includes the “QB Coach” (quotes used because Kyle is the de facto Coach of the quarterbacks, but one is still given the title.)
It’s about accuracy. With most NFL passes nowadays traveling only 8-10 yards downfield there isn’t much time for separation, thus you need to put the ball in the right place at the right time. Accurate throws prevent turnovers and allow more YAC.
Scouts rank Jones 19th but the 9ers traded up to 3 to grab him? Makes no sense
Right, traded essentially three 1st round picks to draft jones. Not happening. Especially considering he’ll likely be available at 13!!
Don’t kid yourselves people. Jones is not going to be a Niner.
well if Mac Jones is going to be the 3 pick and of course I don’t think they had to trade the Farm for him why go to Justin Fields 2nd Pro Day I just don’t think the so called analyst know anything about any of the teams