Mac Jones needs the right landing spot after leaving Alabama football
Mac Jones had one of the best seasons in Alabama football history, and he is now preparing to play in the NFL. For every quarterback, fit matters. There’s a reason why Mahomes succeeded so early and the Jets have failed to solve their quarterback problems.
This matters for every quarterback, but it will matter more for Mac Jones, and here is why.
Many quarterback prospects have a trait that makes up for a team’s weakness. Kyler Murray’s speed eliminated concerns for Arizona’s offensive line. Lamar Jackson’s agility helps if receivers drop passes or miss blocks. Mahomes looks to be at his best when a play breaks down. Most of these traits revolve around athleticism. Jones is more athletic than people give him credit for, but he’s not at the level needed to play above his situation.
Mac Jones is capable of making amazing plays, but he relies on the talent around him to do it. He can analyze a defense, but he needs the coaching to help him process what he’s seeing. He can make a deep pass, but his offensive line needs to hold up. If he throws the perfect pass into coverage, he needs the receiver to make a play.
Jones had all of these things when he played for Alabama football, but he can’t expect to have that talent gap in the NFL. That doesn’t mean that he is destined to fail, but it does mean that he needs to be drafted by the right team.
When things go wrong, the first instinct is to blame the rookie quarterback. Even if he is doing his best, they will want more from him. Critics won’t blame the line if he gets sacked quickly because they’ll want him to scramble. They won’t blame receivers for bad routes because they’ll want Mac Jones to go through his reads and thread the needle. At the end of the day, a quarterback is only one piece of the puzzle. It’s a big piece, but you can’t ask Mac Jones to do it all.
There are some teams that would provide Jones with the situation necessary to succeed, but the landing spot will matter. That just makes the 2021 NFL Draft more intriguing.