NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
Even with the signing of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Washington will need to find its long-term answer at quarterback. The media and fans seem split on whether or not Washington should draft one this year. Sitting at the 19th pick in the first round, they are in a difficult spot. It would take a king’s ransom to trade up in the top five to select a quarterback. Due to this, Lawerence and Wilson are likely off the board. Fields, Lance, and Jones are three quarterbacks that may be realistic. While Jones is the least exciting quarterback in this bunch, he could be Washington’s best option.
I currently have Mac Jones listed as my #3 quarterback in this draft. The majority will disagree with him being that high. However, when you take a deep dive into Jones, he may surprise some people.
Mac Jones led Alabama to the National Championship, where he completed 80% of his passes for 464 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. His production was out of this world, but many believe this stems from what surrounded him. I will not deny that he had talent all around him. This is when you have to look at the tape, which showed Alabama’s weapons benefited from playing with Jones as much as Jones benefited from playing with them.
Jones was the most accurate quarterback in the nation when throwing 0-9 yards with an adjusted completion percentage of 86.8%. While most do not view Jones as a great deep ball thrower, he had the second-highest deep passing grade, only behind Zach Wilson. He also had the highest big-time throw percentage on deep passes among this year’s top prospects, so no, he wasn’t always throwing to wide-open receivers deep.
While his athleticism is a concern, Jones did run a 4.68 forty and jump a 32 inch vertical. His forty-time was the same as Justin Herbert’s, and his shuttle and 3-cone drill was faster than Herbert’s. He may not be the most athletic quarterback in the draft, but he isn’t a statue in the backfield.
The area that impresses me most won’t show up in the stat sheet. Jones’ high football IQ, work ethic, and leadership might be his best qualities. These are things that cannot be taught. When asked what quarterback they preferred, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle took Jones over Tua. While I didn’t expect either of them to say Tua, they could have chosen not to answer the question or said both quarterbacks are great in their own ways.
He is a student of the game. At the Senior Bowl, Jones called his quarterback trainer at 2:30 in the morning while he was going over practice film of that day. Reports also said that Jones picked up the offense faster than any other quarterback there and impressed with his control over the huddle.
The bad news for Mac Jones is his style of play is what the NFL is moving away from. We see more and more dual-threat quarterbacks that can make off-platform throws dominating the league. The pocket passer is a dying breed, and Jones may feel the effect of this during the draft.
Even with his forty-time, Jones will not be any what of a runner at the next level. There are also concerns with his arm strength. A number of deep balls were underthrown, but Alabama’s receivers covered them up.
There is also the question of if he is simply the product of Alabama’s system. We saw Tua Tagovailoa play at a high level in the same system and underwhelm in his first year with the Dolphins. DeVonta Smith won the Heisman for a reason. Over 600 of his 4,494 passing yards came off of screens.
Overall, Washington should at least consider Jones if he is in reachable distance on April 29th. They need a long-term answer, and Jones has traits that will translate to the NFL. He would not need to play his first year with Fitzpatrick or Heinicke being the starer in 2021. No, Jones would not be the most glamourous pick, but he works hard and has demonstrated great leadership, something Rivera looks for in players.
